The Shiralee tells the story of the itinerant rural worker Macauley
- sometimes described as a 'swagman' or 'swaggie'
- who suddenly finds himself taking responsibility for his child. Having returned from 'walkabout', he finds his wife entwined in the arms of another, & so he takes his four-year-old daughter, Buster, with him. The child is the 'shiralee', an Aboriginal word meaning 'burden'. In their time together, father & daughter explore new depths of understanding & bonding. The barren landscapes of the outback are central to the swagman's love for his country & provide a backdrop to the richness of his developing relationship with Buster.