Whether you found this list searching for books set in Australia or New Zealand or you are participating in the Book Voyage reading challenge, you’ve come to the right place.
While Australia and New Zealand are high on many travel bucket lists, there’s a lot beyond the popular tourist destinations. Our book recommendations include great fiction reads, historical fiction about their penal colony pasts, humorous travelogues, and eye-opening memoirs, including about the ongoing racial divide.
PS: You can read all about the Book Voyage challenge, find new book lists each month, and download your free printable map book tracker, with a color-coded map of each region here.
If you have children or grandchildren from pre-school to middle school, they can read alongside you using our list of best children’s books set in Australia or New Zealand.
Australia is often referred to as an island continent. It is the only continent that is also a country and is surrounded by water on all four sides. Whether or not it’s too large to technically be considered an island is a matter of debate among geographers. Australia’s population of roughly 25.5 million is tiny compared to the more than 300 million people living in the United States. So, it can be easy to forget that its landmass is nearly as large as the continental US. In fact, Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world. And with that size comes incredible diversity – both in its landscape and its people.
Australia is part of the region referred to more broadly as Oceania, which includes New Zealand and 12 other island nations in the South Pacific. We focused our armchair travels on island books last month, but we saved books set in New Zealand for this month’s list.
Book Girl Angela spent six months in college living in Brisbane and traveling around Australia and New Zealand. She’s very excited to introduce everyone to the beauty of these two countries! Many people tend to lump Australia and New Zealand together (much to the dismay of the Aussies and the Kiwis that live there). While the countries share similarities, they are also unique, as the books on our list will help you discover.
Australia is a country of contrasts. The east coast of Australia features coral reefs and subtropical rainforests to the north and popular surfing beaches along the central Pacific Coast. The majority of the country’s population is centered around the three largest cities, which are all located along the east coast – Sydney, Melbourne (pronounced Mel-bin by the locals), and Brisbane (pronounced Bris-bin). The west coast of Australia, in contrast, is very sparsely populated with only one major city – Perth – and a dry, sunny climate.
The dry, red desert of the Australian Outback covers more than 70 percent of the continent. Visitors to the center of the country usually arrive by way of the town of Alice Springs. From this base, you can travel another four and half hours by car to reach two of Australia’s most recognizable landmarks – Uluru (Ayres Rock) and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). These sandstone rock formations – which are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Sites and are sacred to the indigenous Aboriginal people – feature springs, rock caves, and ancient paintings.
New Zealand is comprised of many islands. The two largest, where most of the population lives, are referred to as the North Island and the South Island. The North Island of NZ is home to the biggest city, Auckland, with white sandy beaches and vast areas of farmland. While the North Island is beautiful, the South Island is widely considered the more breathtaking of the two. The largest city on the South Island is Christchurch. Much of the island is covered in the rugged Southern Alps with its glaciers and fjords.
As always, you are welcome to choose any book set in Australia or New Zealand that you’d like. To get you started, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best New Zealand and Australian books that will transport you to these two countries.
Some of our favorite authors are Australians whose books, while set in their home country, focus on universal relationship themes that could be set anywhere. These authors include Liane Moriarty (Big Little Lies, The Husband’s Secret), Sally Hepworth (The Good Sister, The Mother-in-Law), and Graeme Simsions (The Rosie Project series). Although these authors’ books frequently show up on lists of books set in Australia, in compiling our recommended reading list we’ve focused on books that provide vivid descriptions of the setting or dig deeper to help understand the region.
The Best Books Set in Australia or New Zealand
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Throughout the list, we noted the books currently available as part of Kindle Unlimited Subscriptions.
Books Set in Australia
A Drop in the Ocean
by Jenni Ogden
Setting: GREAT BARRIER REEF, AUSTRALIA
When funding for her research lab in Boston is suddenly reduced, 49-year-old Anna Fergusson is at a crossroads. On impulse, she decides to rent a cabin on an island along Australia's Great Barrier Reef for a year.
However, her time on Turtle Island was not the simple retreat she expected. While she falls in love with islanders and with Tom, the laid-back turtle whisperer. Her time there is also filled with pain and challenges.
Book Girls Say... The author is a scientist and a neuro-psychologist. Through this novel, she shares a great deal of scientific knowledge about marine turtle conservation and the main character's area of research specialty, Huntington's Disease.
The audiobook is currently free on Hoopla.
Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Silver Bay
by Jojo Moyes
Setting: EASTERN COAST OF AUSTRALIA
Set in a seaside town, Silver Bay is about a family of women at a small inn. The draw of Silver Bay is the sea life. One of the family members, Liza, even takes tourists on whale and dolphin watching boat tours.
When Mike, a real estate developer from London, is sent to scope out the town for a giant hotel complex, he brings visions of water sports that would disrupt the natural habitat. But, as he learns more about the impacts of his plans, he falls in love with more than just the location.
The Book Girls Say... Like the lifestyle in the book, reviews say the plot can also feel slow at the beginning despite the multiple points of view. However, they also praise the descriptions of what it's like to live in a sleepy coastal Australian village, including vivid descriptions of the lives of dolphins and whales. This is a great choice if you're looking for a light, pleasant book for Australia with Hallmark movie vibes!
Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
93% Would Recommend to a Friend
The Light Between Oceans
by M.L. Stedman
Setting: WEST COAST OF AUSTRALIA
After fighting on the Western Front in WWI, Tom Sherbourne returns home and takes a job as a lighthouse keeper on an isolated island, a half-day journey from the west coast of Australia where supply boats only come once a season. During their years on the island, Tom and his wife, Isabel, suffer two miscarriages and a stillbirth.
Then, a boat washes up onshore carrying a dead man and a crying baby. Against Tom's judgment, the couple claims the baby as their own and raise her on the island. Two years later, when they return to mainland Australia, they must face the reality of their choice.
The Book Girls say... Angela read this novel a few years ago. She was completely drawn in by the beautiful writing, the compelling characters, and the moral complexities of good people making bad decisions with the best intentions.
Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
91% Would Recommend to a Friend
In a Sunburned Country
by Bill Bryson
Setting: AUSTRALIA
Bill Bryson's humorous travel memoirs never disappoint, and this one is the perfect combination of laugh-out-loud funny and an in-depth look at what makes the land down under so unique. Although Australia is home to more things that can kill you in extremely nasty ways than anywhere else on Earth, Bryson adores the place, and after you read his travelogue, you'll understand why! He takes readers far beyond the beaten tourist path, where he meets friendly locals at every turn and shares hilarious stories of his adventures.
The Book Girls Say… Angela read this book right after she arrived in Australia for her study abroad experience back in 2000, and she has re-read it twice since then (as the perfect way to armchair travel back to one of her favorite places on Earth). Whether you've been fortunate enough to visit Australia or just want to feel like you have, this book is entertaining and informative from beginning to end!
If you enjoy audiobooks, Bill Bryson narrates this one himself. His dry, sarcastic tone adds even more humor to his writing.
Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
90% Would Recommend to a Friend
The Dating Game
by Sandy Barker
Setting: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Abby Jones is a very successful writer, except no one knows because she writes under a pen name. She is the secret identity behind a wildly popular reality television recap column in a UK tabloid.
When Abby's boss calls her in to talk about the upcoming season of The Stag (a Bachelor-style show) that will be filmed in Sydney, she tells her they want Abby on set to get the behind-the-scenes scoop.
But Abby won't just be observing from off-camera - they expect her to be one of the contestants on the show. Abby can't think of anything worse than going undercover in front of the cameras.
The only thing that might make the experience worthwhile is the handsome Aussie producer.
The Book Girls Say... This comedic romance book set in Australia is a must-read for fans of The Bachelor!
Australian Sandy Barker is one of Angela's favorite rom com authors! She loves the vivid descriptions of the travel destinations in Sandy's books, and this book did not disappoint! In addition to being a laugh-out-loud reality TV-inspired rom-com, you'll also feel like you've just returned from a vacation to sunny Sydney!
The Lost Man
by Jane Harper
Setting: QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
Set on the Bright family's adjourning cattle farms in outback Queensland, The Lost Man is a mystery thriller. Nathan discovers his well-like brother Cameron dead near an isolated headstone of an unknown cowboy. The grave is famous in local legends and ghost stories, but what was Cameron doing there, miles from his car?
You'll be transported to the dry, remote Outback as you try to piece together the mystery along with the Nathan.
The Book Girls Say... Our readers say they enjoyed how the author slowly revealed the underlying story. However, be aware that this book set in the Australian outback includes some domestic violence.
Readers also highly recommend The Dry by the same Australian author, which is included with Kindle Unlimited as of 6/14/22.
Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
The Exiles
by Christina Baker Kline
Setting: VAN DIEMEN'S LAND (penal colony on modern Tasmania, Australia)
From the author of Orphan Train, The Exiles again takes us back in history, this time to the British settlement of Austalia in the 1800s. While Aboriginal people inhabited the land for tens of thousands of years, the British government decided to forcible relocate many tribes and create a new nation where they would exile British citizens who violated laws in their other territories.
The book follows three women and their intertwining lives - Evageline, a young governess imprisoned after becoming pregnant, Hazel, a young girl sentenced to 7 years after being accused of stealing a spoon, and Mathinna, an orphaned Aboriginal who was adopted by the governor of the new land. The Exiles tells the originals of Australia from new perspectives, with themes of friendship, perseverance, and freedom.
The Book Girls Say… This historical fiction set in Australia, from the author of Orphan Train, provides a compelling account of the hardships women faced in the nineteenth century.
Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
95% Would Recommend to a Friend
Island Time
by Georgia Clark
Setting: QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
Join two families - one a loud and messy, but loving Australian family; the other a sophisticated and buttoned-up American family - for an island adventure off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
The only thing the Kelly and the Lee families have in common is that their daughters are married. During a short "get to know you" trip, the two families wind up stranded together for six weeks because of a volcano eruption on a nearby island.
With only two island employees making up the rest of their party, everyone is forced to question what—or who—they really want.
The Book Girls Say... This smart and steamy rom com is by the author of It Had To Be You. In addition to being a fun ensemble comedy told from multiple points of view, this book also reads like a love letter to Australia! It's filled with vivid descriptions of the landscape and wildlife, and lots of fascinating information about the culture and history.
The Oceans Between Us
by Gill Thompson
Setting: AUSTRALIA & London, England
Following a WWII air raid, an injured woman is found wandering the streets of London. She has lost her memory, but has the strong feeling that something very precious to her is missing.
Her son sits in an orphanage, hoping his mother will return for him. Before she remembers, he is put on a ship bound for Australia with the promise of a wonderful new life. When he arrives in Perth, on Australia's west coast, he is taken in by a lonely wife.
When his new caretaker discovers the truth about his past, she must decide whether to tell the truth and risk losing him, or keep quiet and hide the secret.
The Book Girls Say… This Australian historical fiction is based on a true story, and is specifically recommended for fans of Lisa Wingate's Before We Were Yours and Martha Hall Kelly's Lilac Girls.
Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
In the Blink of an Eye
by Jesse Blackadder
Setting: NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA
The Brennan family is trying to adjust to daily life after a huge move from chilly Tasmania to subtropical New South Wales when tragedy strikes. The father, Finn, is thrust into the spotlight even though the family and police are unsure what happened or who is to blame. The mom, Bridget, is outraged and begins searching for answers on her own. Jarrah, the teenage son, has his own overwhelming emotions of blame, grief, and loss in this suspenseful family drama.
The Book Girls Say... This book dives pretty intensely into the grieving experience, which might be difficult for some readers. We don't recommend this book for anyone currently dealing with their own personal grief.
The author of this book is Australian Jesse Blackadder, who wrote Chasing the Light from our Antarctica list.
Boy Swallows Universe
By Trent Dalton
Setting: BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA
Set in 1983 and inspired by the author's life, this coming-of-age tale blends historical, crime, and literary fiction into one hard-to-put-down novel. Twelve-year-old Eli is determined to grow up and become a good person. That is a stretch goal considering his mom and step-dad are drug dealers, his babysitter is a notorious criminal, his dad is MIA, and his brother stopped speaking after a traumatic event.
Eli shows unconditional love for his flawed family and navigates his difficult surroundings to march toward his dream of being a journalist.
The Book Girls Say... This book is described as a bit slow and unusual to start, but it's said to pick up quickly. Reviews warn that this book contains violence and adult language, but both are surrounded by beautiful writing, leading to a satisfying ending.
Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
The Beekeeper's Secret
by Josephine Moon
Setting: NOOSA and BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
Maria is a seventy-year-old former Catholic nun living with tremendous guilt from events in her past. She leads a solitary life of self-imposed penance, spending her days tending to her bees and creating honey products. She donates the proceeds to help orphaned children.
When Maria's niece, Tansy, tracks her down by letter asking to meet and inquiring why she has no contact with the rest of the family, Maria knows that she'll finally have to deal with her past.
As you travel with the characters from Noosa to Brisbane, in Queensland, Australia, you'll feel like you're right there beside them. You'll also learn quite a bit about bees and beekeeping in this book.
The Book Girls Say... Don't judge this book by the cover. Readers say that the cartoonish-style of this book doesn't reflect the charm and depth of this novel, which intertwines the themes of repentance and forgiveness. The author describes her writing as a mashup of FoodieLit and Uplit (uplifiting literature).
Heads Up: This book deals with abuse in the Catholic church.
Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia
by Anita Hess
Setting: AUSTRALIA
For the short-story lovers in the group, you might enjoy this anthology from 51 aboriginal Australians spanning a wide range of ages, locations, and life experiences. While many of the stories share heartbreaking injustice, there are also themes of hope and encouragement. It's a great way to learn about this important culture.
The Book Girls Say... If you enjoy the format of this book, there are other books in the Growing Up series, including Growing Up Disabled in Australia and Growing Up Queer in Australia.
The Strays
by Emily Bitto
Setting: Near MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Eva's parents are non-traditional artists living a bohemian lifestyle. She and her younger sisters, Bea and Heloise, are surrounded by parties and mostly left to fend for themselves.
When a new girl, Lily, arrives at school, she quickly becomes friends with Eve and enamored with her home. However, as the girls get older, Lily realizes that the environment she found magical isn't so perfect.
The Book Girls Say... This Australian historical fiction provides a glimpse into the early Australian modern art world of the 1930s (which feels more like the 1960s in many ways).
While the author considers the book fiction, Australian reviewers compare the story to the biography Modern Love: The Lives of John and Sunday Reed. The Reeds had a popular artist commune called The Heide, which is now the Heide Museum of Modern Art in a suburb of Melbourne.
Lost in Kakadu
by Kendall Talbot
Setting: KAKADU, NORTHERN AUSTRALIA
Kakadu National Park in Northern Australia is breathtaking...and desolate. It's not ideal for a plane crash with two survivors. Fans of adventure shows like Survivor and Lost might enjoy this tale of a spoiled socialite and a younger man recovering from the loss of his partner. Together, they must try to escape the region alive, while addressing their pasts along the way.
The Book Girls Say... This book is described as a romantic suspense survival story. Reviewers warn that Abigail, the socialite, is a bit insufferable at first, but she does develop throughout the book.
This book is free with Kindle Unlimited as of 6/15/22.
Steve & Me
by Terri Irwin
Setting: QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
At 27, Terri Raines took a vacation from her wildlife rescue work in Oregon and traveled to Australia. There, at a small wildlife park in Queensland, she met a conservationist named Steve Irwin. Less than a year later, the two were married in Oregon. Then she moved with Steve to Australia, where they continued his conservation work together. The footage filmed of their crocodile-trapping honeymoon would ultimately become the first episode of "The Crocodile Hunter."
In this memoir, Terri shares the unforgettable adventures that she shared with Steve. While Steve was world-famous for his daring and enthusiasm, in this book Terri provides a more intimate view of a devoted family man and dedicated environmentalist.
You might also like The Last Crocodile Hunter: A Father and Son Legacy, by Steve's dad, Bob Irwin.
The Book Girls Say... Despite Steve being known worldwide as the "Crocodile Hunter," his life-long work involved rescuing and protecting wildlife from poachers, not "hunting" them as the name might imply.
Fun Fact: Angela was fortunate enough to visit Steve and Terri's beautiful Australia Zoo in 2000, and to meet their daughter, Bindi, who was just a toddler at the time.
Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Honeysuckle Creek: The Story of Tom Reid, a Little Dish and Neil Armstrong's First Step
by Andrew Tink,
Setting: CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA
This non-fiction option tells the story of Western Australia's little-known role in the 1969 moon landing as the broadcast some of the most-watched images in history as Neil Armstrong took an unforgettable small step.
The book is part history and part biography of Tom Reid, the director of Honeysuckle Creek, the satellite tracking station in Canberra, Australia. While Tom Reid's name is not wildly known, partially because of his extreme humbleness, you'll be fascinated by his life and contribution to science.
The Book Girls Say... An Australian movie called The Dish also covers the broadcast. Angela highly recommends if you ever get a chance to see it.
Daughter of Australia
by Harmony Verna
Setting: WEST COAST OF AUSTRALIA
This Australian historical fiction novel is set in the early decades of the 20th century. In the vast and unforgiving desert of Western Australia, a little girl is abandoned in the sand.
She is taken back to the town of Leonora and named after it. Here, she is raised in an orphanage and slowly bonds with another orphan named James.
Eventually, Leonora is sent away to live with a wealthy family in America. James is taken in by relatives who have emigrated from Ireland. Years later, Leonora has the opportunity to return to Australia, and there she comes face to face with James - the only person who knows the real her.
Tracks
by Robyn Davidson
Setting: AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK
In this travel memoir, Robyn Davidson, an Australian native, tells the story of her mostly-solo, perilous journey across 1,700 miles of Australia's Outback, from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean. It was the late 1970s, and Robyn was just 25 years old when she set out.
Driven by a love of the Australian landscape, she braved sweltering heat, poisonous snakes, and every other challenge that crossed her path. Along the way, Robyn often went weeks without interacting with another human - it was just her, four camels, and her dog. She did have an Aboriginal guide for a few days of her trek, and received a commission from National Geographic, which allowed one of their photographers to accompany her for short stretches.
Heads Up: Some reviewers express concern with Robyn's use and treatment of the camels on her journey.
The eBook is currently available free on Hoopla.
Books Set in New Zealand
The Pretty Delicious Cafe
by Danielle Hawkins
SETTING: RURAL NEW ZEALAND
Danielle Hawkins is a NZ author known for perfectly capturing rural New Zealand in her light and humorous novels, which are said to be perfect for fans of Doc Martin.
Lia and Anna are friends who opened a cafe near a seaside town. They're spending all their free time working, planning Anna's wedding, and trying to get Lia's ex-boyfriend to understand that it's over. Then, one night, a gorgeous stranger appears at Lia's window in the middle of the night. Is it worth fitting a new relationship into her already hectic life?
The Book Girls Say... Our readers say that this book is laugh-out-loud funny at times with fun characters, but The Pretty Delicious Cafe also has some serious and darker topics interwoven into the book.
When It All Went to Custard is another excellent option from this author, full of humor and a rollercoaster of emotions as Jenny tries to save her family farm.
Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
In the Land of the Long White Cloud
by Sarah Lark
SETTING: NEW ZEALAND
This novel, the first in a trilogy, is a colonial New Zealand historical fiction set in the 19th century.
Helen is the governess for a wealthy London household. She longs for a family of her own, but with her late 20s quickly approaching and no prospects, it doesn't seem promising. When she sees an ad seeking young women to marry New Zealand's honorable bachelors, she jumps at the opportunity.
In nearby Wales, Gwyn's wealthy sheep breeder father is dealt an unlucky blackjack hand and offers up his daughter's hand in marriage. The rest of her family is outraged, but Gwyn sees it as a thrilling chance to escape her boring life.
The two women meet on the ship to Christchurch, New Zealand, and become fast friends. When their new Kiwi husbands don't turn out to be what they expected, the two will lean on one another.
The Book Girls Say... This novel is over 700 pages long. But if you're up for it, you'll find a epic saga of friendship, romance, marriage, and adventure.
Both the ebook and audiobook are free with Kindle Unlimited as of 6-15-22.
The Whale Rider
by Witi Ihimaera
Setting: WHANGARA, NEW ZEALAND
This YA book uses a popular New Zealand myth to create a magical realism/fantasy adventure. The main character is 8-year-old Kahu, a descendant of the legendary Whale Rider and a member of the Maori tribe.
Her great-grandpa is desperately looking for a successor to become chief, a role reserved for male heirs. However, Kahu is his only great-grandchild. While others see how special she is, the chief is blind to her greatness and continues searching for a male to take his place.
One day, hundreds of whales are beached and threaten the future of the tribe. Kahu will attempt the impossible to save them. Can this young girl be the leader the tribe needs?
The Book Girls Say...This is a short book at 140 pages - perfect if you have a busy month!
Book Girls' Readers Rate This Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Kiwi Rules
by Rosalind James
SETTING: NEW ZEALAND
This is the first book in a snarky and steamy New Zealand Ever After romance series.
Jax is a former model who has just returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan, where he lost a leg to a roadside bomb. He recently returned home to New Zealand, and he's agreed to help his pregnant sister by serving as a pseudo-tour guide for a wealthy American, Karen, who is interested in buying his sister's high-end glamping business.
Jax tours Karen around some of New Zealand's beautiful most beautiful - as well as some of it's quirkiest - ecotourism sites. Despite the challenges (Karen seems to have never heard the phrase "we don't have time" let alone "there's not more room in the car") the chemistry is undeniable.
The Book Girls Say... If you are looking for a light contemporary romance book that will whisk you away to New Zealand, consider giving this book a shot. Readers particularly enjoy the descriptions of New Zealand's scenery, food, and culture.
Be aware, however, that both Jax and Karen are working through some trauma, so this book may also cause you to shed a few tears as well.
Rosalind is also the author of another popular series of romance books set in New Zealand, called Escape to New Zealand.
The books in the New Zealand Ever After and Escape to New Zealand series are free with Kindle Unlimited as of 6/15/22.
Squashed Possums: Off the beaten track in New Zealand
by Jonathan Tindale
Setting: NEW ZEALAND
Ten years after returning from New Zealand, Jon receives a mysterious manuscript in the post. Squashed Possums, reveals what it's like to live in the wild through four seasons, including New Zealand's coldest winter in decades. The book is narrated by him home during that time, his caravan (camper)!
Stories include how Jon found himself reversing off the edge of a cliff, meeting a Maori chef who survived 9/11, encountering flying hedgehogs, screaming possums, and the elusive kiwi bird.
The Book Girls Say... This NZ travelogue gets mixed reviews, but Bill Bryson calls it "terrific," – which makes it worth a look in our book.
This book is free with Kindle Unlimited as of 6-15-22.
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