Harry Heathcote, a young Englishman, has leased 120,000 acres of bush from the Government of Queensland on which he runs 30,000 sheep. With him live his wife and two young sons and his sister-in-law Kate. Apart from the dangers of natural disasters, such as fire, Harry has enemies from some of his ex-workers and also a lawless family, the Brownbies, whose boundary adjoins that of Harry's land. As Christmas approaches, the Brownbies, assisted by some of Harry's ex-workers, set fires along the boundary of the two properties in order to finish off Harry's sheep station. As he and his men fight both the fires and the Brownbies, another neighbour comes to the rescue and between them all they defeat the Brownbies. It is then that Harry realises that he should no longer spurn offers of friendship from others. This novel is believed to be based on some of the experiences of Trollope's son, who wasted thousands of pounds in trying to set up and run a sheep station, until he had to admit defeat and give up the land.