OVER a century ago, a few hundred disgruntled shearers, stockmen, poets and dreamers left Australia in search of Paradise in the small, green, landlocked South American nation of Paraguay. Their dream: to build a socialist Utopia based on the twin ideals of temperance and mateship—a “New Australia”—under the guidance of zealous labour leader, William Lane.

It failed spectacularly. Before they even set foot in their new home, the dreamers… Read more