Andy Appelton gathering firewood

Is Andy assisting his parents by collecting the firewood to fuel his mother's stove or perhaps the big copper for washing day? Or with such a large load is he collecting it to sell in the town, and help with the family's finances? His team of four goats looks well able to pull this large load.

Chores such as this were carried out by most children, in town and country, during the 19th and first half of the 20th century. As city families became better off, children might expect to receive small sums of pocket money for carrying out household chores, but for country children it was still part of what was expected of them. Their chores might extend to helping with the harvest, milking cows or feeding stock.

Fabian, Sue, Children in Australia: an outline history Melbourne: Hyland House, 1980

The endless playground: celebrating Australian childhood compiled and edited by Paul Cliff; with introductory essays by Robert Holden and features by Jack Bedson ... [et al.] Canberra: National Library of Australia, 2000

Larkins, John, The young Australians: Australian children since 1788 Adelaide: Rigby, 1981