Willie Fitzgibbons nearly ran off the road trying to change the radio station. His hand lurched for the button and missed, catching it the second time. He cursed. Swerving back onto the tarmac, the rear of the Navara shimmied as it sought traction. One day, he told himself, you’re going to kill someone doing that. Or worse, damage the ute.

The road chicaned through a copse and past the old quarry. Its limestone had created Carlton’s main civic buildings, their edifices implying solidity and integrity. But even in 1900 local rivalry was such that the quarry was banned from selling any limestone to Earlville. Their public finery was brick, brought by wagon and train from upstate. The quarry’s closure was met with a gleeful double-spread by the Earlville Courier.

The two towns had fought over a scrubby hole now filled with tawny grass, triodia and bird droppings…

Continue reading the extract here…