Ivy's a young irish girl who is sent to new holland (australia) during the ireland famine in 1847. this was called the black 47 in ireland history because millions of people died due to starvation. landlords couldn't collect rents and so there was mass evictions. as irish people relied on there one acre of land to grow enough potatoes to last them for the whole year, but as the potatoe crops failed and they did not have any money too pay for food or rent there were large about of people who became homeless. diseases like typhus and cholera as well as starvation was everywhere in ireland. the government opened soup kitchens and the demand for coffins was so much that many people were buried in shallow graves. young ivy was sent by her parents as they thought that it was the only way to save her from death. her poor parents worked long hours for only a penny, when they were lucky enough to find work. ivy's two young brothers had to leave school to help find work to feed there family as their father had been hurt in an accident. as there were eight in the family counting the parents they thought it was right for ivy to go.ivy left her home land and that was the start of her adventure to find true love and a whole lot more.