Get Free Shipping on orders over $79
Free Diving - Lorrae Coffin

Free Diving

By: Lorrae Coffin, Bronwyn Houston (Illustrator)

Paperback | 1 September 2017 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Paperback


RRP $19.99

$18.75

or 4 interest-free payments of $4.69 with

In Stock and Ships in 1-2 business days
Age range 7 to 10

Free Diving is a poignant tribute to the Indigenous men and women who worked in the pearling industry as 'free divers' in the late nineteenth century in Western Australia.

In a practice known as 'blackbirding' (forced unpaid labour), European pearl lugger owners used Indigenous people to dive for pearl shell. With no protective suits, the divers faced threats such as decompression sickness (known as the 'bends'), shark attack, or of being swept away by huge tides. At sea for weeks at a time, there was also the risk of the luggers being shipwrecked in cyclones that formed off the coast.

The lyrical narrative is based on the celebrated song 'Free Diving' by singer-songwriter Lorrae Coffin. It sensitively reflects the emotional journey of a young man who leaves family and country to work on a lugger with Japanese and Malay divers by his side. Bronwyn Houston's illustrations are a deep-sea celebration that illuminate both the glory of the ocean and the extreme dangers encountered by the free divers.

Free Diving is a fictionalised story of a young man lost at sea. Watch the video below to learn more about Free Diving.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Stories for Mid to Upper Primary

Free Diving - Lorrae Coffin

Paperback

RRP $19.99

$18.75

Our World : Bardi-Jaawi Life at Ardiyooloon - One Arm Point Remote Community School

RRP $33.00

$23.75

28%
OFF
Alfred's War - Rachel Bin Salleh

Hardcover

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
Living on Stolen Land - Ambelin Kwaymullina

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
My Girragundji : 20th Anniversary Edition - Meme McDonald
Black Cockatoo : Black Cockatoo - Carl Merrison

RRP $17.99

$16.75

The Burnt Stick - Anthony Hill

RRP $16.99

$15.99

Alfie's Big Wish - David Hardy

RRP $19.99

$18.75

Two Hands Together - Diana Kidd

RRP $17.99

$16.75

Brontide - Sue McPherson

Paperback

RRP $17.99

$16.75

Deadly D & Justice Jones : The Search - Scott Prince

RRP $15.99

$15.75

Deadly D and Justice Jones : Rising Star - Scott Prince
Riding The Black Cockatoo - John Danalis

RRP $19.99

$18.75

Wraith - Shane Smithers

Paperback

RRP $22.99

$10.00

57%
OFF
Who Am I ? : My Australian Story - Anita Heiss

RRP $16.99

$14.75

13%
OFF
Sea Horse - Bruce Pascoe

Paperback

RRP $17.99

$16.75

Bush and Beyond : Stories from Country - Tjalaminu Mia

RRP $14.99

$14.75

Hello, Hello - Indigenous Literacy Foundation

Hardcover

RRP $24.99

$23.75

The Toast Tree - Corina Martin

RRP $19.99

$18.75

Deadly D and Justice Jones : Making the Team - Scott Prince

First Nations Stories & Storytelling for Children

Dark Emu : Aboriginal Australia and the Birth of Agriculture - Bruce Pascoe
Cooee Mittigar : Story on Darug Songlines - Jasmine Seymour

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
Sorry Day - Coral Vass

Paperback

RRP $17.99

$17.75

Coming Home To Country - Bronwyn Bancroft

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
Brother Moon - Maree McCarthy Yoelu

Hardcover

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
Ngaawily Nop : Old Story Retold - Kim Scott

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
Little Bird's Day - Sally Morgan

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
Free Diving - Lorrae Coffin

Paperback

RRP $19.99

$18.75

Respect : Our Place - Aunty Fay Muir

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
Took the Children Away : The Iconic Song of the Stolen Generations - Archie Roach
Family : Our Place - Aunty Fay Muir

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
Fog A Dox - Bruce Pascoe

Paperback

RRP $21.99

$19.75

10%
OFF
The Little Corroboree Frog - Tracey Holton-Ramirez

RRP $17.99

$16.75

Us Mob Walawurru - David Spillman

RRP $17.99

$16.75

Our World : Bardi-Jaawi Life at Ardiyooloon - One Arm Point Remote Community School

RRP $33.00

$23.75

28%
OFF
Two Mates - Melanie Prewett

Paperback

RRP $19.99

$18.75

Benny Bungarra's Big Bush Clean-Up - Sally Morgan

RRP $19.99

$18.75

Welcome To Country - Aunty Joy Murphy

RRP $26.99

$22.99

15%
OFF

NAIDOC Week Stories for Children

Dark Emu : Aboriginal Australia and the Birth of Agriculture - Bruce Pascoe
Cooee Mittigar : Story on Darug Songlines - Jasmine Seymour

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
Sorry Day - Coral Vass

Paperback

RRP $17.99

$17.75

Coming Home To Country - Bronwyn Bancroft

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
Brother Moon - Maree McCarthy Yoelu

Hardcover

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
Ngaawily Nop : Old Story Retold - Kim Scott

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
Little Bird's Day - Sally Morgan

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
Free Diving - Lorrae Coffin

Paperback

RRP $19.99

$18.75

Sea Country : CBCA's Notable Early Childhood Book 2022 - Aunty Patsy Cameron
Ceremony : Welcome to Our Country: Book 2 - Ellie Laing

RRP $24.99

$21.75

13%
OFF
Took the Children Away : The Iconic Song of the Stolen Generations - Archie Roach
Family : Our Place - Aunty Fay Muir

RRP $27.99

$23.75

15%
OFF
Fog A Dox - Bruce Pascoe

Paperback

RRP $21.99

$19.75

10%
OFF
The Little Corroboree Frog - Tracey Holton-Ramirez

RRP $17.99

$16.75

ABC of Australian Animals - Bronwyn Bancroft

RRP $17.00

$14.75

13%
OFF
Us Mob Walawurru - David Spillman

RRP $17.99

$16.75

Our World : Bardi-Jaawi Life at Ardiyooloon - One Arm Point Remote Community School

RRP $33.00

$23.75

28%
OFF