Black Duck cover art

Black Duck

A Year at Yumburra

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Black Duck

By: Bruce Pascoe
Narrated by: Bruce Pascoe
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About this listen

When Dark Emu was adopted by Australia like a new anthem, Bruce found himself at the centre of a national debate that often focussed on the wrong part of the story. But through all the noise came Black Duck Foods, a blueprint for traditional food growing and land management processes based on very old practices.

Bruce Pascoe and Lyn Harwood invite us to imagine a different future for Australia, one where we can honour our relationship with nature and improve agriculture and forestry. Where we can develop a uniquely Australian cuisine that will reduce carbon emissions, preserve scarce water resources and rebuild our soil. Bruce and Lyn show us that you don't just work Country, you look, listen and care. It's not Black Duck magic, it's the result of simply treating Australia like herself.

From the aftermath of devastating bushfires and the impact of an elder's death to rebuilding a marriage and counting the personal cost of starting a movement, Black Duck is a remarkable glimpse into a year of finding strength in Country at Yumburra.

2025, Australian Book Design Awards, Long-listed

©2024 Bruce Pascoe (P)2024 Bolinda Publishing Cultural & Regional

Critic Reviews

'Bruce invites us onto the land that changed the man behind the book that changed the nation.' (Narelda Jacobs, Whadjuk Noongar journalist, presenter, commentator and keynote speaker)
'Bruce and Lyn so eloquently bring us into intimate contact with the land and our beautiful culture – reminding us all of the rich history that Australia holds.' (Allira Potter, a proud Yorta Yorta, a trained reiki practitioner, intuitive reader, energy healer, life coach and meditation guide)
All stars
Most relevant  
Bruce has such a skill of merging the self with family, community, and country. The story isn’t always optimistic but has an undercurrent of hope. Thank you.

A joy to listen to

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I think this is one of my favs of his books. Reminded me of Helen Garner in style a little .
Highly recommend

Loved it

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I really enjoyed this book. I found it informative to have an insight into this man’s calling to advocate for his people, his everyday life, activities and love of country. Learning of culture, language, history, animals and plants of this land just naturally fit in along the story. Nice

Peaceful reminiscences of a man, his people and country

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Bruce writes with such heart and soul about all life, with respectful acknowledgement of our past and hope for our future.

A great yarn about keeping our dreaming alive

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Bruce Pascoe's work Black Duck is as insightful and brilliant as all his written work. A delightful assortment of moments of deep self reflection such as rarely gets published with such integrity and emotion. Surely this book will stand out as marking Bruce Pascoe whole life as well lived in all his achievement. To have had the bravery to identify his passion for his race, country and creed, so honestly and in such a public manner, is an outstanding testament to a man who knows his achievements are worthy of his beautiful heritage.

Brilliant insight from a heritage of great worth.

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Bruce’s narration of his book adds a dimension to the story that may not be evident in the written version. For this reason I recommend the potential purchaser do NOT buy the paper or kindle book, but instead purchase the audible version. Use your ears rather than your eyes to hear this story. This is a story all Australians should hear.

Bruce is a great Australian story teller, a national treasure, a man of deep contemplation and personal understanding of contemporary issues. He has a passion and a vision for Australia. He suffered ongoing abuse from the far right after Dark Emu was published 11 years, but this is not a story about that. It is about the years when he and Lyn set up a working farm to grow traditional crops and showcase a way of farming that refines the definition of farming in the tight European sense. Neither farming nor gathering, but managing the crops to grow.

Do we need new words to describe ancient ways of farming? Would that satisfy those who cannot or will not understand how farming is a far broader spectrum of strategies to maximise plant yields than they knew if?

The author displays Ghandiesque endurance in the face of the signature lies and hatred of Australian racists and the casual misunderstanding of others.

Listen to Black Duck!

A ‘must listen’ for all Australians

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An anecdotal diary over the course of a calendar year, of the life of Bruce Pascoe on his farm with his business “Black Duck” foods and his commitments to literature, Indigenous Affairs, Fire Safety and most importantly life. Not the most riveting story, but I particularly liked that there was so much indigenous knowledge and information shared.

Informative

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Thank you Bruce. I was thoroughly entertained and educated. It surprises me that people don’t open their eyes when the proof is in slapping them in the face.

Educational

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A year’s journal dispelling right-wing hateful aspersions by documenting how a contemporary Aboriginal elder conducts their year. A better australia would see us all live so poetically and reciprocally with this continent and her mysteries

Inspiration

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.