How did the interaction between European settlers and the Pilliga Scrub forest fundamentally alter the Australian landscape over two centuries? Eric Rolls, an experienced farmer and observer of the land, synthesizes historical records, oral histories, and ecological observations to document the transformation of a massive forest region. He argues that human intervention, particularly through fire management and grazing, created a complex, shifting environment that defies simple conservationist narratives.

Historians and ecologists frequently cite this work as a seminal study in the field of environmental history for its integration of human activity and natural change. Readers often note the dense, descriptive prose that captures the specific nuances of the Australian bush.