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RESEARCHING his new book led Newtown historian Barry Abley to explore old battle
sites in Africa, as well as Ballarat's past.
inkonkoni is the title of his historical novel. It tells the tale of a colonial
Victorian in the 1870s, who attended Ballarat's School of Mines. When the main
character's best mate is murdered during a payroll hold-up, he promises to track
down the murderers to bring them to justice.
His chosen path takes him to Zululand in South Africa, where war is brewing.
Abley visited the old, battle sites for just over a month as part of his extensive
research.
The School of Mines still stands in Lydiard St and is now part of the University
of Ballarat. "It's still amazing, you can walk through the building and
just envisage exactly how it was back then,' Mr Abley said. Readers will note
other local references - the main character resides in Dawson St.
The book will be officially released later this year.
Its release will coincide with 125th anniversary the beginning of the Anglo-Zulu
War in Africa.
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