Clara Morison (1854) is the first novel published by Scottish migrant to South Australia, Catherine Helen Spence (1825-1910).
As the story opens, 19 year old Clara Morison, who has been living in the kinship care of her uncle for 3 years, is being sent out to South Australia by that uncle.
Although Clara was born into the upper-middle classes, in South Australia she has little money. Therefore, one job she takes on (as governess work is rare) is as a servant, work she discovers takes up not only her time, but also her energy.
A significant theme in the novel is the 1851 gold rushes in Victoria and NSW. The population of South Australia was significantly reduced as people, mostly men, rushed interstate to try their luck.