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Polly Panic: The Avian Crisis That Gripped Victoria in 1930
Paperback
Series: Strange Crises in History
Australia & OceaniaGeneral World History
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Apr 2 2026
Pages: 96
Weight: 0.28
Height: 0.25 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
A forgotten outbreak. A town in feathers. A nation on edge.
In the blistering summer of 1930, the tranquil sugar towns of Queensland are rocked by an invasion of screeching green intruders. At first, it's just a few parrots. Then hundreds. Then thousands. As crops are decimated and skies darken with feathers, panic takes hold and the government scrambles for answers.
Told through the eyes of farmers, schoolteachers, reporters, and an eccentric birdcatcher named Arthur Finch, Polly Panic captures a bizarre chapter of Australian history where wildlife turned foe, hysteria spread faster than disease, and national pride clashed with nature's chaos.
Blending sharp wit with historical echoes, this fictionalised account of a real bird infestation is both humorous and haunting - a satirical reflection on bureaucracy, fear, and the unpredictable power of nature.
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