A New Kind of Dreaming study guide
Key characters from A New Kind of Dreaming, with concise study-guide summaries.
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Seventeen-year-old Jamie Riley arrives in Port Barren with a troubled past and a sharp defensive attitude. His plea, “Don’t judge me”, reveals his struggle with unfair labels, while his loyalty to Cameron and determination to uncover the truth show courage.
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Elliot Butcher is a powerful but corrupt police sergeant whose size and uniform hide a cold, calculating nature. He uses fear, threats and his authority to control Jamie, protect his secrets and turn the “middle of nowhere” into a place where resistance is dangerous.
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Cameron Michaels is a practical, confident runner who knows Port Barren’s hidden stories and takes Jamie seriously. His “confidence was reassuring”, yet he also feels fear and doubt, making his growing friendship with Jamie feel honest, useful and brave.
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Archie is Jamie’s mysterious host, an observant older man whose piercing gaze and quiet authority make him difficult to fool. Through stories of “wanderers” and “lost ones”, he connects Jamie to Port Barren’s history and challenges him to listen, reflect and find where he belongs.
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The Boat Girl is a refugee child who survives a dangerous journey and hides aboard the wreck, becoming a quiet but powerful presence. Because she “didn’t speak any English,” she is vulnerable and isolated, yet her hidden story raises questions about fear, survival and whose voices are heard.
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Mike McPherson is a worn-down police constable whose drinking masks fear, guilt and a troubled conscience. After witnessing violence on the wrecked boat, he becomes a frightened accomplice and a dangerous source of truth, warning Jamie that “another body” may follow more questions.
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Constable Robb is a young, immaculate policeman whose “expressionless” face and mirrored sunglasses make him difficult for Jamie to read. Quiet and controlled, he works under Butcher’s authority yet shows hints of caution, making Jamie question whether his silence means fear, loyalty, or a
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Lorraine is Jamie’s case worker, managing his isolated care and arranging his stay with Archie in Port Barren. Firm and informed, she balances practical concern with pressure, warning Jamie that this is his “last chance” while their tense relationship remains more complicated than simple authority.
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Eddie is Jamie’s older brother, serving a prison sentence while trying to hide the violence he faces from his “little brother”. Tough, private and protective, he remains an important family connection whose silence shows both his strength and the heavy pressure he carries.
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Port Barren Community is a culturally mixed local group, shaped by “Aboriginal, white, Malay, Indonesian” stories and shared ties to the land. It can welcome newcomers, yet fear and pressure sometimes lead locals to judge outsiders and protect the town’s uneasy peace.
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These refugee families flee “distant wars” after being promised safety, carrying their belongings and hopes across the sea. Their shared displacement gives the boat a human history and makes their suffering central to the mystery Jamie begins to uncover.
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The Punjima, Kurrama and Innawonga peoples are presented as Indigenous Australians returning to ancestral country, sacred places and their Dreaming. Their connection to the land carries cultural and spiritual strength, helping restore balance when “pain settles” across the country.
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Andrew, the “red-headed kid,” is remembered as fiery, fearless and ready for a fight. He steps onto the wrecked boat to prove himself, but being abandoned and injured exposes how bravado can hide vulnerability—and how adults fail to protect him.
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Jess is a year-eleven student whose dramatic stories about the wrecked boat make him memorable. By “really talking it up”, repeating rumours overheard from adults and daring others to investigate, he turns local secrets into a powerful mix of excitement, fear and mystery.
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Cameron’s parents remain mostly offstage, yet their practical care shapes his confidence and choices. His father’s “desert survival” knowledge, local connections and warnings give Cameron tools to help Jamie while reminding him that courage should be guided by responsibility.
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Susan is a caring traveller who finds Jamie and Cameron exhausted in the desert and responds with practical kindness, food and safety. Her question, “Are you okay?”, shows genuine concern, while her disagreement with Robert reveals courage, independence and a strong wish to protect the boys.
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Robert is a practical traveller who introduces himself with “My name’s Robert” and helps Jamie and Cameron when they are exhausted and lost. As the driver and map reader, he offers food, argues for their safety, and changes course when needed, showing kindness, responsibility and calm judgment.
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The town doctor is a practical but distant caregiver who treats Jamie at the nursing station, checking his fever and drip with a quiet “Steady.” His calm role is memorable because he offers useful help while also seeming distracted, leaving Jamie unsure whether he is truly being watched over.