The picnic goes well until the afternoon, when Miranda, Irma, Marion, and Miss McCraw ask for permission to climb the rock. They are followed by Edith, who soon becomes scared and runs back to the others. She tells them that she saw the four disappear behind a rock, and that something terrible happened. A search party is organized, but they find no trace of the missing four. The only clue is a torn piece of lace that belongs to Miss McCraw.
The next day, the police and the media arrive at the scene, and the mystery becomes a sensation. Many theories and rumors circulate, ranging from abduction to murder to supernatural phenomena. The search continues for weeks, but no evidence is found. Meanwhile, the school suffers from the scandal and the loss of reputation. Many parents withdraw their daughters from the school, and some of the staff resign or die under mysterious circumstances. Mrs. Appleyard becomes increasingly paranoid and unstable, and blames herself for the tragedy.
The only survivor of the picnic is found by a young Englishman named Michael Fitzhubert, who was staying at a nearby hotel and became obsessed with Miranda after seeing her at the rock. He decides to join the search, and after wandering for days, he discovers Irma unconscious but alive near the top of the rock. He brings her back to the hotel, where she recovers from her ordeal. However, she has no memory of what happened to her or the others, and refuses to talk about it. She also rejects Michael’s romantic advances, as she is still haunted by Miranda’s image.
The novel ends with a shocking twist, as Mrs. Appleyard commits suicide by jumping off a cliff, after learning that her school is bankrupt and that her past is about to be exposed. Before she dies, she receives a letter from a former employee, who reveals that she saw Miss McCraw on the road, wearing only a skirt and a pair of boots, and acting strangely. The letter suggests that Miss McCraw was the mastermind behind the disappearance, and that she somehow lured the others into the rock, where they met their fate.
Where To Read Novel Picnic at Hanging Rock
If you are interested in reading this novel, you can find it online at Project Gutenberg Australia, where it is available for free download. You can also buy a copy from Amazon or Book Depository, or borrow it from your local library.
Conclusion
Picnic at Hanging Rock is a novel that will keep you guessing and wondering until the end. It is a masterpiece of suspense, atmosphere, and symbolism, that explores the themes of nature, civilization, sexuality, and identity. It is also a fascinating portrait of the Australian society and culture at the turn of the century, and the contrast between the colonial and the indigenous. Whether you believe it is fact or fiction, you will not forget this novel and its haunting mystery.
