Despite their poverty, Meggie's family buys her an intricate doll from a shop in Wahine, a nearby small town in New Zealand. Meggie, who has never owned a doll before, doesn't understand that dolls are meant to be played with. Her older brothers, Hughie and Jack, take the doll from her and start destroying it. This devastates Meggie because she has never owned anything worth grieving for.
On Sundays, everyone in the family, except Meggie and one of her brothers, goes to church. Paddy is Irish Catholic, and Fiona, who left the Church of England to marry Paddy, tolerates his faith. The readers learn about Fiona's ancestors who settled in New Zealand. Her great-grandfather, Roderick Armstrong, was a prisoner sent from England to Australia in the early 19th century. Later, he escaped to New Zealand after being sent to Van Diemen's Land. Rumors suggest that Roderick resorted to cannibalism to survive. He fathered 13 children with a Maori woman and achieved success. Roderick is remembered as a remarkable and formidable man.
Father Ralph de Bricassart, a 28-year-old priest, is punished for insulting a bishop and is assigned to an outback posting in Australia. He visits Mary Carson, a 64-year-old widow and his benefactor, at her homestead called Drogheda. Mary provides him with a car and other comforts in exchange for spending time with him. She is wealthy and has to decide whether to leave her fortune to the church or her distant relatives. During their visit, Maryand Father Ralph flirt and have
irreverent discussions about Catholicism. Mary finds Ralph very attractive, and they talk about her distant relative, Padraic Cleary, who happens to be Mary's estranged younger brother. Mary plans to invite Padraic and his family to Australia to run her estate, but her intentions are not entirely generous.
Ralph shows the Cleary family around the property and mentions that the head stockman's house, where they will live, is prone to flooding. The family learns about their new responsibilities. The narrative describes the Australian wildlife and hints at more flooding to come. The men's work is depicted as stimulating and takes place outdoors, with Paddy and the boys enjoying the camping experience under the vast starry sky. On the other hand, the women's work is tedious and repetitive, consisting of cooking, cleaning, washing, ironing, and caring for the babies.
Frank and Paddy find themselves at a local bar in Gillanbone during the annual Gillanbone Show and Picnic Races. Frank initially wants to confront Paddy but ends up accepting money from him instead. He leaves the bar with Ralph and Meggie, and they head to the showgrounds.
Meggie and Stuart are no longer able to attend the Catholic boarding school. Meggie is needed at home to take care of Hal, as Fiona has given birth to twin boys named James and Patrick. Meggie becomes a mother figure to Hal, while Stuart is allowed to work from home and protect the family from unwanted visitors with his male presence. Fiona neglects Hal and the twins, and they live with Meggie and the female staff members who care for them. The region is now experiencing a drought.
Mary, still longing for Ralph, plans her 72nd birthday party. From her window, she observes Ralph teaching Meggie how to ride a horse, which displeases Paddy, who doesn't approve of women riding. However, Paddy doesn't confront Ralph due to his status as a priest. Meggie fantasizes about being held in Ralph's arms but is unaware of what comes next.
Three weeks after Mary's death, the Cleary family moves into the main house. Ralph keeps them updated about their finances. Fiona is delighted to leave the stockman's house and has redecorated the main house to her liking. While going through old newspapers, the family discovers that three years ago, Frank received a life sentence for killing a man. Frank's only comment during the trial was a request not to tell his mother.
The weather becomes increasingly dry and cold. Travelers stop by the Drogheda estate to have meals under Paddy's supervision. Fiona puts Stuart in charge of the shotgun to manage any visitors.
Fee takes over corresponding with Ralph, keeping any news from him away from Meggie. A new worker named Luke O'Neillarrives on the estate and bears a resemblance to Ralph. Luke impresses the family and staff with his good looks and hard work. He eventually seeks to engage Meggie, first calling her spoiled and then inviting her to a dance. Meggie reluctantly agrees, and Luke monopolizes her attention throughout the event. They share a waltz, and Meggie realizes she doesn't need to do anything but follow his lead.
Luke informs Meggie that he plans to move to North Queensland and
asks her to sign over all her money to him. He wants to cut sugar cane and save money to buy his own property. However, he refuses to convert to Catholicism, complicating their wedding plans.
Meggie receives news that Ralph has made an appearance but didn't request her forwarding address. Ralph travels to Athens and thinks about Meggie, questioning why she married Luke. He learns he will be promoted to Archbishop and posted again in Australia after six months of preparation in Rome.
Meggie goes on vacation to Matlock Island and enjoys the solitude. Meanwhile, Luke visits the Mueller home and notices the unique eyes of his daughter, Justine, wondering whose they resemble. Anne confronts Luke about his true intentions, accusing him of marrying Meggie for her money. She sends him away without revealing Meggie's location. Ralph unexpectedly arrives in Himmelhoch and assists Anne in caring for Justine. He expresses his desire to bid farewell to Meggie before heading to Europe in case of a war. Anne provides Ralph with Meggie's address on Matlock Island.
Meggie returns to Drogheda with her daughter Justine and feels a sense of relief and contentment. Although Fee initially has a cool reception towards Meggie, she eventually adjusts to her being back home. Meggie eagerly anticipates the birth of her second child. When the baby, a boy, is born, she notices his striking resemblance to Ralph. She names him Dane.
Drogheda receives news of Hitler's invasion of Poland through their wireless radio set. They initially feel secure on the estate, but as the war
progresses, they learn that Australia has joined the conflict. Jims and Patsy, two Cleary men, are eligible to join the war efforts. The family hears that Japan is showing aggression, bringing the war closer to home. Meggie has to work the paddocks extensively due to another drought, while her children continue to thrive in her absence. Fee and Meggie receive news that Jims and Patsy will be sent home, but a sudden policy change alters their plans, and they are deployed to North Africa instead. They participate in a twelve-day battle and emerge victorious. Jims and Patsy return home, visibly changed by their experiences.
The war comes to an end on the day rain finally falls in Australia, ending the decade-long drought. The family starts rebuilding their livestock and business. Meggie receives a letter from Luke, expressing his desire for her to return to him. However, she dismisses his request, committed to living without him. She can't divorce him due to the laws of Ralph's church.
Justine, now 17, expresses her desire to become an actress to Meggie and reveals that Ralph is funding her move to Sydney for classes and auditions. Justine has a sardonic attitude towards her father, whom she has never met, and declares that she will never marry. After moving to Sydney, she decides to lose her virginity to a 40-year-old man, which leaves her overwhelmed with laughter. Justine shares this experience with Dane, her brother, who then abruptly leaves and goes to a Catholic Church, seeking a sense of peace and calm. Dane later reveals to his mother that heplans to become a priest and not marry. Meggie initially curses God because she doesn't want to lose her son to the priesthood but eventually sends Dane to Rome to study under Ralph's guidance. Meggie believes that Dane's decision is a consequence of her love for Ralph and intends to keep the truth of Dane's paternity from Ralph.
The Cleary family plans a visit to Rome for Dane's ordination as a priest. Meggie, overwhelmed by anxiety, refuses to go, fearing that something bad will happen. In Rome, Rainer entertains the family members, including Justine, and surprises them with Australian beer.
Justine mourns Dane's death in London and immerses herself in tragic Shakespearean roles to escape her emotions. She longs to return to Drogheda but feels guilty for not accompanying Dane to Greece and is unable to face her mother, Meggie.