PRESS RELEASE: From National Coach to Forgotten Name: The Man Who Coined “Pararoos” Returns with a Novel Australia Isn’t Ready For
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Hayley Brown
Publicist, Outback Odyssey
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.paulrushworthbrownskulduggerywinterofred.com
SYDNEY, 9 July 2025 — Paul Rushworth-Brown spent a decade shaping one of Australia’s most inclusive sporting legacies. As head coach of the Pararoos—Australia’s national football team for players with cerebral palsy, brain injury, or stroke symptoms—he led them to international medals and gave them the name that endures.
Then he was cut from the team. And cut from the story.
In 2018, a national documentary aired celebrating the Pararoos’ rise—but Paul was nowhere in it. Despite naming the team, coaching them through global success, and championing their funding when it was pulled under Peter Dutton’s “Winning Edge” strategy, his contribution was erased. Not forgotten—erased.
Now, Rushworth-Brown is speaking out again. But this time, not through protest. Through fiction.
“Outback Odyssey”: A Reckoning in Disguise
His latest novel, Outback Odyssey, is being praised internationally for its depth, emotional clarity, and willingness to confront uncomfortable truths. Set in 1950s Australia, it follows Jimmy Brown, a young Yorkshire migrant who escapes post-war Britain and finds himself in the unforgiving landscape of the Australian bush—living and working alongside a First Nations mob.
It’s a story of survival, identity, and cross-cultural reckoning. There’s also a subplot rooted in real Australian history: the mysterious disappearance of 5,000 sovereigns from the SS Avoca in 1877. Yet at its core, Outback Odyssey is a meditation on belonging—who gets to claim it, and who gets edited out.
A Pattern Repeating Itself
“There’s a strange familiarity in what’s happening now,” says publicist Amanda Smith. “Just like Paul was erased from the Pararoos legacy, Outback Odyssey is being largely ignored in Australia—even as U.S. media embraces it.”
Ron James, host of the U.S.-based It’s a Rap with Rap podcast, described the novel as:
“Thought-provoking, heartfelt, and beautifully written. It’s not just a survival story—it’s a story about understanding, respect, and the deep spiritual connection to the land that so many never truly appreciate. Outback Odyssey is more than a novel—it’s an essential Australian story that resonates across generations.”
Literary Analyst Amanda Smith adds, “Outback Odyssey isn’t just a story—it’s the kind of novel that lingers. It feels like one of those books that quietly becomes a classic, not because it shouts, but because it stays with you. And maybe that’s what makes it so uncomfortable—and so necessary.”
A Cultural Moment Worth Acknowledging
In a time when reconciliation messaging is everywhere—from corporate posters to NAIDOC panels—Outback Odyssey dares to tell a story outside the script. It doesn’t tidy the mess. It doesn’t flatter. It simply asks: who gets to speak, and who gets silenced?
Inspired by the author’s own life—his father’s time with Aboriginal stockmen and his years as a navvy on the Queensland Railways—Rushworth-Brown has created a work of historical fiction layered with lived experience.
And yet, in his own country, the story remains largely ignored.
International Spotlight
Paul Rushworth-Brown will appear on The Chris Voss Show—broadcast live from Las Vegas—on July 15 at 10:30 AM AEST, discussing Outback Odyssey and the broader issues it touches: exclusion, legacy, and cultural silence.
“This isn’t a publicity stunt,” says Smith. “This is a quiet but pointed reminder that some stories don’t get told because they don’t fit.”
Media Resources
🔹 Press Kit: https://bit.ly/43dCJBz
🔹 Feature Article: https://bit.ly/3TpLG52
🔹 Associated Press Interview: https://bit.ly/3I8UMka
About the Author
Paul Rushworth-Brown is a former Australian national football coach turned historical fiction writer. Born in England and raised in foster care, he later emigrated to Australia and worked in the bush before becoming an educator and novelist. His work draws heavily from lived experience, historical research, and a refusal to conform to official narratives.
For interviews, review copies, or further information, contact:
Hayley Brown
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.paulrushworthbrownskulduggerywinterofred.com
