Australian literature: What images and constructions of 'Australian-ness' are represented in early Australian literature?

The concept of 'Australian-ness' had began its construction from before the English even reached Australia. Then as now Australia was seen as the land of opportunity. A new land with no history or system (Aboriginal society didn't exist to the British), waiting to be carved out and shaped by the new arrivals. From the beginning of the history of post-colonised Australia, the contributions and experiences of women, non-Anglo migrants and Aborigines were virtually ignored. Their …

…Australia. The image of 'Australian-ness', the hard-working, easy-going, anti-authoritarian mate, is no more true or representative today than it was 200 years ago, yet we hang onto it as strongly now as we did then. Movies such as 'Crocodile Dundee' and more recently 'The Castle', put forward the stereotype as powerfully as Lawson ever did, with more concessions to multi-culturalism maybe, but the basic concept remains the same, 'masculine, white Anglo-Irish and heterosexual.' (Schaffer 1988, p12).