Author event at the Tatura Library - Stephen Whiteside

Snow, Fire and Gold: The Story of Bill Spargo and Evelyn Piper’s Life in the Australian Mountains by Stephen Whiteside

Stephen Whiteside knew that Spargo’s Hut near Mt Hotham had been abandoned for many years. However, when he first visited it in 1982, he got a shock. It looked like it was still inhabited. Closer inspection revealed that it was indeed abandoned, but its remoteness had allowed it to remain crammed full of all the items necessary for everyday life. There was a bed and pillows, a table and chairs, a Coolgardie safe, pots and pans, crockery and cutlery, a fly spray pump, an oven mitt, a golf putter, books and much, much more. Who were these people who had lived in this one room hut above the snowline, and why?

Based on extensive research begun in 1987, this book offers a glimpse into their extraordinary experiences. It also contains a range of photographs, many of which have never been seen before.