Southern Aurora

It is the mid 1980s and Jimmy lives in the poorest section of a small country town in New South Wales with his mother and his young brother, Sam. His older brother, Mick, is in gaol, again. His mother sometimes drinks too much when she is depressed. Then there is Charlie who sometimes lives with them but when he abuses family members returns to his own lodgings. Life certainly has its challenges.

Southern Aurora by Mark Brandi provides Jimmy's view on his life. He is in grade five at school and finds it difficult to make friends, especially as he is not good at sport. With his brother away, Mark feels responsible for the family and blames himself when things go wrong. He tries to look after Sam who attends a special school and he keeps an eye on his mother's welfare. 

When it is announced that a billy cart race is to be held at school Jimmy feels that he can really become involved, however even this does not go entirely to plan. It does though allow Jimmy to get to know Don, an elderly neighbour who encourages Jimmy to realise that although life can be unkind at times he cannot control everything. Others too need to help resolve life's problems.

The Southern Aurora is the train that used to travel between Melbourne and Sydney. The railway line passed through the town where Jimmy lived and children used to wave to passengers on the train and dream of one day escaping on the train themselves. The train was named after the southern lights that sometimes can be seen brightening up the sky in the southern hemisphere.