Over 20 "Australian & Oceanian" Writing Prompts
The Tasmanian Whalers
Tell the story of a Tasmanian family in the mid-1800s, whose livelihood is connected to the whaling industry. Explore their daily lives, the ethical dilemmas they face with the decline of the whale population, and their interactions with conservationists advocating for an end to whaling.
The Settler and the Aboriginal Guide
Set in Tasmania during the Black War, your protagonist is a British settler who has befriended an Aboriginal guide. When tensions escalate between the settlers and the Aboriginal community, the protagonist is caught in a moral dilemma. Write about their struggle to maintain the friendship and navigate the dangerous waters of loyalty and survival.
Darwin Under Bombs
Construct a narrative centered around the Bombing of Darwin in World War II. Focus on a family whose life is disrupted by the event. Explore themes of resilience, loss, and recovery amidst the backdrop of a lesser-known military confrontation in Australian history.
A Convict in Van Diemen's Land
Imagine the life of a female convict sent to Van Diemen’s Land in the 1830s. Through a series of diary entries, depict her life from the harrowing sea voyage to her eventual settlement and adaptation to life in a penal colony. Explore her transformation as she forms unexpected alliances and perhaps discovers new freedoms far from the life she knew.
The Polynesian Wayfinder
Imagine the experience of a young Polynesian navigator in the pre-colonial Pacific Islands. Create a tale centered around their journey across vast oceans using traditional wayfinding techniques, encountering other island cultures, and the trials they face on these perilous sea voyages.
The Navigator's Ancient Sea Routes
It's the early 20th century, and a Polynesian navigator sets out on a traditional voyaging canoe to rediscover ancient sea routes. Her journey becomes fraught with unexpected challenges as she encounters European explorers. Detail her interactions and the impact of these encounters on her own cultural identity and the preservation of her people's navigational lore.
The Stranger in Tasmania
Write from the perspective of a woman living in a remote Tasmanian town in the late 19th century. Her life takes a dramatic turn when a mysterious stranger with a dark past arrives, challenging the town's quiet life and exposing hidden histories.
Letters from the Telegraph Line
During the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line in the late 1800s, a young Irish engineer falls in love with the arid yet beautiful Australian interior. Use his letters home to illustrate his changing views on engineering, colonialism, and his own identity, as he grows more connected to the land and its original inhabitants.
Bridge Builders in Sydney
Set in 1930s Australia during the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, write the story of a young engineer from England and a local Indigenous Australian who form an unlikely friendship amidst the backdrop of historical progress and social tensions.
The Diver's Legendary Pearl
Imagine the lives of pearl divers in Western Australia at the turn of the 20th century. Focus on one diver's quest to find a legendary pearl described in Aboriginal folklore, encountering fierce rivalries and dangerous waters, all while navigating the cultural complexities of the time.