Everyone has a story to tell, or so the saying goes. This is certainly true in the towns of Parkes, Alectown, and Peak Hill that sit along one of Australia's most iconic highways, the Newell.

From a pioneering shearer with a penchant for karaoke, to a dentist who moved in London's high society and made dental care available to all in the area, or a world-class opera singer in her twenties, the residents of this region have achieved at the highest levels across a variety of fields--sometimes against all odds.

In Jewells along the Newell, Margaret Dwyer has documented the funny, tragic, and inspiring stories of the wonderful folk who have made their home along the Newell Highway over the past hundred years, shining light on these precious gems.