In The Big Shift author Bernard Salt provides an articulate interpretation of the settlement of the Australian continent, charting the shifts and shuffles that have made us who we are over the past 200 years.

This bold and landmark outlook chronicles Australia from the unique bush culture of the swagman, to today’s world of boomers, Xers and Dotcoms. It considers the rise of suburbia on our national psyche and maps out the likely influences on Australian culture over the early decades of the twenty-first century. Salt’s conclusion is powerful - no less than the rise of a third Australian culture - the culture of the beach.

But what are the implications of such a seachange? What might Australia look like in 20 years’ time? Will the rush to the CBD last? And how will the baby-boomer push to middle-age and beyond impact on our culture?