"There is no now and no then, only in between and always Open the box. Come and see."

Aberdeen Knopwood wants to make a difference - to help save the planet and express the passion for the environment that burns underneath her skin. But how can a girl who is too scared to stand out actually do something meaningful?

Aberdeen's family has been woven into the fabric of Hobart for generations. When her journalist father gifts her an antique chronometer, it leads her to another girl who also knows and loves Hobart.

But the Hobart this girl knows is very different to the one Aberdeen grew up in - a newer Hobart, where the stone buildings aren't yet mellowed to soft golds, sea shanties echo from tall sailing ships, and men armed with harpoons hunt whales in the harbour. This girl knows something that Aberdeen is yet to discover: one person really can make a difference.

CBCA Award-winning author Kate Gordon invites you to walk the cobbled streets of Hobart in the early 19th century, exploring our desire to change our world for the better, and the enduring legacy--both good and bad--of those who came before...