1. The phrase “Kangaroo court” isn’t of Australian origin. It was popularised on the Californian goldfields in the 1840s, and didn’t reach Australia until about 1881. It’s origin is uncertain, it may be a reference to “claim jumpers”, “skipping evidence” or “having the court in your pocket”.
2. I’ve been reading the book “Walkabout” by Arthur Upfield. Upfield is famous for his detective novels set in Australia, but this book is pure non-fiction. It’s a collection of Upfield’s writings in Walkabout magazine from 1934 to 1949. The story about what it was like to be a trapper in Outback Australia is superb. I haven’t seen any non-fiction writings about Australian fur trappers anywhere else. eg.
“A little-known industry in Australia … the rabbit and fox are public enemies number one and two … the skins of these animals have brought millions of pounds to Australia … he labours much harder and for longer hours than the station hand, stockman, artisan and clerk, and earns more money when he is on fur …”
The article then goes on the explain in detail how to set out a bait and trap line for foxes, and fenced traps for rabbits. A typical haul is 100 rabbits and two to five foxes a night. A detail includes how to stop the crows from getting to the trapped animals, and great detail about the daily routine.
3. In another chapter, Upfield explains how the rabbit-proof fences work both ways, for example protecting South Australia from rabbit horde plagues originating in NSW. And protecting NSW from rabbit horde plagues originating in South Australia. A migrating rabbit horde follows the rain, and doesn’t stop to dig burrows. Foxes turn to lambs when they can’t get rabbits. So do dingos, but thankfully to a lesser extent.
4. At the end of the book there is a brief note about the emu war. An explanation that makes far more sense than the explanation of QI. “What emus can do to wheat crops is truly astonishing, trampling to destruction very much more than they eat. Their depredations around Lake Champion were so serious that the farmers asked for some military units with machine guns … the birds would not wait to be mown down by machine guns but would dash hither and thither creating more damage. It was also discovered that machine gun bullets travel a long way, and were a positive menace to farmers and their stock.” In other words, the emus won.