The action begins in 1897 in the Australian outback. Hard farm work, on the uniformity of which no one complains except Sibylla Melvin. This young lady, contemptuously engaged in milking cows and dreaming of the glory of the pianist, is determined to make a brilliant career, which she writes about in her girl’s diary. Mother tells her daughter that she can no longer support such an adult girl, offers to go to... maids! But a saving letter comes from her grandmother with an invitation to move to her....