"Cattle Chosen" - book

Cattle Chosen is a vivid historical account that chronicles the establishment of one of Western Australia’s first group settlements between 1829 and 1841.
Written by economist and historian E. O. G. Shann, this compelling narrative draws from archival sources, personal correspondence, and pioneer records to paint a rich portrait of the early Swan River Colony and its challenges. The book centres around the efforts of the Bussell family, tracing their journey from England to the untamed frontier of southwest Australia, where they established a cattle station under harsh and uncertain conditions. Shann explores the settlers’ interactions with the local Noongar people, the economic trials of colonial agriculture, and the relentless pursuit of prosperity in an isolated land. This work is more than a settler chronicle; it is a detailed study of the early colonial mindset, land acquisition, and the socioeconomic structures that shaped the region. Balancing personal narrative with broader historical insight, Cattle Chosen offers a rare glimpse into the formation of Western Australia's identity, making it an essential read for anyone interested in Australian colonial history, frontier settlement, and agricultural development.