Most major changes are only achieved with a significant amount of pain - and so it was in the early part of the nineteenth century for the British settlement in New South Wales as it evolved from penal colony origins to begin the transition to nationhood. Conflicts abounded between settlers and natives, freemen and those from convict stock, English and Irish as each sought to retain their identity and secure a future in the developing nation. Within these turbulent times a young Tom Rourke fights his own personal battles. He too struggles with change as he moves from teenager to adult. As the son of a former Irish convict whose closest friend is a young warrior of the local Dharawal tribe, Tom quickly learns about prejudice and acceptance, while the bonds established during his idyllic boyhood are severely tested. Tom's natural athleticism wins him admirers and acclaim in the illegal prize fights organised by Sydney's military, however, there are bitter lessons to be learned about love, family and his own values once he moves beyond the confines of his insular existence into the world beyond.