The Bridge

"The men drew up a couple of wooden stools and sat, one on each end of the hearth, hands wrapped around the mugs, the toes of their boots almost in the glowing embers, the mud drying into pale flakes. The smaller of the two, the one who had remained silent, turned his head in the direction of the young man in the corner and half nodded. He was a blackfella, broad across the shoulders. His skin was dark, his nose misshapen and the skin tissue on his brow was scarred."
— from The Boxer by Derek Mortimer

Twenty one Australian short stories from the Stringybark Short Story Awards explore what it means to be an Australian. Sometimes funny, often intriguing, these stories from well known writers, as well as new writers, will leave you wanting more.