1. Art motifs
2. Family
3. Home
4. La Perouse (S Sydney NSW S156-05)
5. Missions
6. New South Wales
7. Social life and customs
8. Storytelling
9. Sydney

Based on her own experience, Indigenous woman Elaine Russell writes about her childhood on the beach in La Perouse. She moved to the area around the age of five in 1946 and talks about living alongside the La Perouse mission. Russell does not shy away from inconvenient truths, nor does she offer an opinion.

The straightforward, factual language and use of first person brings the audience into her story and evokes a childlike whimsy as she recalls both happy times and sad. Her bright illustrations in strong bold colours evoke a childlike wonder to accompany her reminiscences. A factual text is included at the end of the book that provides additional information about the area of La Perouse and how it was used prior to 1945. It also includes a photograph of Russell and her siblings as children.

1. Teaching Notes courtesy of the publisher, Little Hare Books http://www.scool.scholastic.com.au/schoolzone/toolkit/assets/pdfs/shack_that_dad_built.pdf
2. Learning and Teaching on Darug Country https://learndarug.com/
3. Australian Curriculum, Humanities and Social Sciences, ‘Stolen’ https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/resources/work-samples/samples/stolen-above/?searchTerm=spelling#dimension-content
4. History of Aboriginal Sydney https://www.historyofaboriginalsydney.edu.au/
5. Elaine Russell. Artist Talks. Art Gallery NSW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teBwzk9u63w&feature=youtu.be
6. Waterford State School video 'The Shack that Dad Built' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGQXYx7VMCM
7. Art Gallery of NSW 'Elaine Russell' https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/channel-archived/clip/477/