Never Never (Australian outback) facts for kids
The Never Never is a huge, faraway part of the Australian Outback. It's a name for a very remote and wild place. People often think of it as a tough, isolated area.
The name became well-known from a poem by Barcroft Boake called "Where the Dead Men Lie". He wrote about this distant land:
- Out on the wastes of the Never Never -
- That's where the dead men lie!
- There where the heat-waves dance forever -
- That's where the dead men lie!
Contents
What is the Never Never?
The Never Never is not an exact place on a map. Instead, it's a way to describe the very remote and undeveloped parts of Australia. It often refers to areas in the Northern Territory and northern Queensland. These regions are known for their vast, empty spaces and challenging conditions.
How the Name Began
The term "Never Never" was likely used by people in Australia even before the famous poem. An early book from 1884, called The Never Never Land: a Ride in North Queensland by Archibald William Stirling, shows the name was already common. This means people were using it to describe these distant lands in the late 1800s.
The Never Never in Stories and Films
The idea of the Never Never has appeared in many Australian stories and movies. It helps people understand the wild and untamed nature of the Outback.
Famous Books About the Never Never
- Jeannie Gunn's Stories: An author named Jeannie Gunn wrote about life in the Never Never of the Northern Territory. Her most famous book is We of the Never Never. It tells the true story of her life on a cattle station in this remote area.
- Rosa Praed's Novel: In 1915, Australian writer Rosa Praed published a novel called Lady Bridget in the Never-Never Land. This book also explored the idea of this distant and wild part of Australia.
The Never Never in Movies
The term was also used in the 2008 movie Australia, directed by Baz Luhrmann. The film showed the vast landscapes and challenges of living in the Australian Outback, bringing the idea of the Never Never to a wider audience.
