MY Country
Australia is a great country or the Australia of my youth was- Australians are laid back, welcoming to anyone and a place at the table was always found for those who dropped in to say hello-social occasions were mainly in house –people, family and friends would come for a visit and you were never out of pocket, or found wanting for food,because they would bring food with them to be shared around.The Aussie loved to tell jokes and no one was offended, the Aussie larrikin was renowned and simple recreation like tennis was always popular and many people had a court built near their home
People worked hard and a fair days work for a fair days pay was normal- there were no distractions, like, Iphones, Ipads computers –but music was always on the cards and books were always a great way to pass the time-
Sunday morning everyone attended church and then returned home- Sunday was family time and everyone was happy to obey those rules but of course shops were not open or entertainment venues which made it easier I suppose.
Although children were free to play anywhere they had to be home by dark but could only go after chores were done-they left with an apple in their pocket –mainly boys as girls had different things to do at home- no predators, so parents didn’t worry if they didn’t see their children all day-everyone could swim so that wasn’t a worry- all in all we behaved and while behaving enjoyed ourselves,-we were country but no doubt city folk didn’t live by the same rules.
Reading took me to many places but I loved the Australian history and poets – books are a great place in get lost in and I did –something like spending time in our backyard, it was a place where you could lie and watch the clouds floating by and dream of castles in the sky; the joy of a fine, sunny day which made you glad to be alive, early evening following the drumbeats of the crickets, finding glow worms amongst the logs and trees which always fascinated me, the cooling breeze on a hot summer’s night whispering in the trees , the beauty of a sunset and the kiss of moonlight that make the day seem endless- thinking back to those times I wonder how I never met up with a snake because I was always so intent on what I was doing.
Country is the best place to be and I have always enjoyed life there and still do although living on a smaller block of land we still have space between neighbours and can live our lives without much interaction- I have a fine view of the mountains and nature comes right to my door- we feed birds and there are many of them and some come up on my veranda to say hello and visit awhile- wallabies feed close by and koalas drop by from time to time, Grumbles came last night doing what he does best, grumbling outside in a tree close to the house maybe grumbling about how high I lived being up one floor -so even if I didn’t have family here with me, I would never be lonely
As life goes so quickly by , it’s good to stand and let the memories catch up; memories that hold our thoughts long forgotten- growing up I enjoyed dancing and this was due to my father- At 14, I was waltzed off my feet by him at my brother’s 21st birthday party. Round and round we whirled until the music stopped; even today that dance is vivid in my mind and the music plays on in my memory, {Johann Strauss}- In all my later dancing experiences, waltzing with my father remained top of the pops.
My love for horses stemmed from my childhood and they always have played an intrinsic part in my life, after I married and now, although I do not own a horse or indeed ride they remain firmly entrenched in my heart with the many dogs I was lucky enough to own.
This poem is known and loved by millions of Australians, past and present –and it has become a legend as has the horses- horses came to Australia with the First Fleet and those horses live on in the horses today –they played a huge part in the building of Australia and many were let go and they ended up in the mountains where, over time, have been the subject of poetry, movies, folklore- and served our country in war. We love them and they belong to the people and are part of our traditions- we need to make sure they are still here for future generations and the onus is on us to do just that but a large force of Left ideology is against us and they are in power, killing our iconic horses without first consulting the people- the fabric of our country is slowly being unraveled and our values and traditions are disappearing into the mists of time, because, unfortunately , those in power, have lost the vision splendid, believing in anything other than the foundations of our country, which was based on Judeo-Christian belief -this has served us well until the Woke warriors arrived rewriting history and moving our country down a different and foreign path, away from God and inflicting tyranny on the people. We seem to have lost the Aussie spirit which would have mounted an assault if anyone had tried this in the past – we need to find it again and we need to remember our country of yesteryear and strive to bring it back because there is no place in the world like Australia and I stand testament to that as I have visited many places.
The Man from Snowy River [poem by Banjo Paterson]
·
[Editor: This poem by “Banjo” Paterson was published in The Man from Snowy River and Other Verses, 1895; previously published in The Bulletin, 21 December 1889.]
The Man from Snowy River
There was movement at the station, for the word had passed around
That the colt from Old Regret had got away,
And had joined the wild bush horses — he was worth a thousand pound,
So all the cracks had gathered to the fray.
All the tried and noted riders from the stations near and far
Had mustered at the homestead overnight,
For the bushmen love hard riding where the wild bush horses are,
And the stock-horse snuffs the battle with delight.
There was Harrison, who made his pile when Pardon won the cup,
The old man with his hair as white as snow;
But few could ride beside him when his blood was fairly up —
He would go wherever horse and man could go.
And Clancy of the Overflow came down to lend a hand,
No better horseman ever held the reins;
For never horse could throw him while the saddle-girths would stand,
He learnt to ride while droving on the plains.
And one was there, a stripling on a small and weedy beast,
He was something like a racehorse undersized,
With a touch of Timor pony — three parts thoroughbred at least —
And such as are by mountain horsemen prized.
He was hard and tough and wiry — just the sort that won’t say die —
There was courage in his quick impatient tread;
And he bore the badge of gameness in his bright and fiery eye,
And the proud and lofty carriage of his head.
But still so slight and weedy, one would doubt his power to stay,
And the old man said, “That horse will never do
For a long and tiring gallop — lad, you’d better stop away,
Those hills are far too rough for such as you.”
So he waited sad and wistful — only Clancy stood his friend —
“I think we ought to let him come,” he said;
“I warrant he’ll be with us when he’s wanted at the end,
For both his horse and he are mountain bred.”
“He hails from Snowy River, up by Kosciusko’s side,
Where the hills are twice as steep and twice as rough,
Where a horse’s hoofs strike firelight from the flint stones every stride,
The man that holds his own is good enough.
And the Snowy River riders on the mountains make their home,
Where the river runs those giant hills between;
I have seen full many horsemen since I first commenced to roam,
But nowhere yet such horsemen have I seen.”
So he went — they found the horses by the big mimosa clump —
They raced away towards the mountain’s brow,
And the old man gave his orders, “Boys, go at them from the jump,
No use to try for fancy riding now.
And, Clancy, you must wheel them, try and wheel them to the right.
Ride boldly, lad, and never fear the spills,
For never yet was rider that could keep the mob in sight,
If once they gain the shelter of those hills.”
So Clancy rode to wheel them — he was racing on the wing
Where the best and boldest riders take their place,
And he raced his stock-horse past them, and he made the ranges ring
With the stockwhip, as he met them face to face.
Then they halted for a moment, while he swung the dreaded lash,
But they saw their well-loved mountain full in view,
And they charged beneath the stockwhip with a sharp and sudden dash,
And off into the mountain scrub they flew.
Then fast the horsemen followed, where the gorges deep and black
Resounded to the thunder of their tread,
And the stockwhips woke the echoes, and they fiercely answered back
From cliffs and crags that beetled overhead.
And upward, ever upward, the wild horses held their way,
Where mountain ash and kurrajong grew wide;
And the old man muttered fiercely, “We may bid the mob good day,
No man can hold them down the other side.”
When they reached the mountain’s summit, even Clancy took a pull,
It well might make the boldest hold their breath,
The wild hop scrub grew thickly, and the hidden ground was full
Of wombat holes, and any slip was death.
But the man from Snowy River let the pony have his head,
And he swung his stockwhip round and gave a cheer,
And he raced him down the mountain like a torrent down its bed,
While the others stood and watched in very fear.
He sent the flint stones flying, but the pony kept his feet,
He cleared the fallen timber in his stride,
And the man from Snowy River never shifted in his seat —
It was grand to see that mountain horseman ride.
Through the stringy barks and saplings, on the rough and broken ground,
Down the hillside at a racing pace he went;
And he never drew the bridle till he landed safe and sound,
At the bottom of that terrible descent.
He was right among the horses as they climbed the further hill,
And the watchers on the mountain standing mute,
Saw him ply the stockwhip fiercely, he was right among them still,
As he raced across the clearing in pursuit.
Then they lost him for a moment, where two mountain gullies met
In the ranges, but a final glimpse reveals
On a dim and distant hillside the wild horses racing yet,
With the man from Snowy River at their heels.
And he ran them single-handed till their sides were white with foam.
He followed like a bloodhound on their track,
Till they halted cowed and beaten, then he turned their heads for home,
And alone and unassisted brought them back.
But his hardy mountain pony he could scarcely raise a trot,
He was blood from hip to shoulder from the spur;
But his pluck was still undaunted, and his courage fiery hot,
For never yet was mountain horse a cur.
And down by Kosciusko, where the pine-clad ridges raise
Their torn and rugged battlements on high,
Where the air is clear as crystal, and the white stars fairly blaze
At midnight in the cold and frosty sky,
And where around the Overflow the reedbeds sweep and sway
To the breezes, and the rolling plains are wide,
The man from Snowy River is a household word to-day,
And the stockmen tell the story of his ride.
Source:
Andrew Barton Paterson. The Man from Snowy River and Other Verses, Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1896 [January 1896 reprinting of the October 1895 edition], pages 3-9
Previously published in: The Bulletin, 21 December 1889
Editor’s notes:
beetled = jutting or overhanging (from beetle-browed, i.e. having heavy overhanging eyebrows); not to be confused with “beetled” as in someone who has scurried off or “beetled off” (moved like a beetle)
Clancy of the Overflow = a character, who was an expert stockman, created by Banjo Paterson for his poem “Clancy of the Overflow”
cracks = experts (e.g. an expert at shooting is called a “crack shot”)
Koskiusko = Mount Kosciuszko (New South Wales), the highest mountain peak in Australia (2,228 metres, or 7,310 feet, above sea level); it was named by the Polish explorer Count Strzelecki in 1840 after General Tadeusz Kościuszko of Poland
kurrajong = a genus of 31 species of trees and large shrubs (Brachychiton, also known as Bottletree), common in Eastern Australia
mimosa = a genus (of about 400 species) of flowering herbs and shrubs; although in this context it is more likely to refer to the Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata, also known as Mimosa), a species of the genus Acacia, native to southeastern Australia
mob = in this context, a group (or mob) of wild horses, found in the Australian bush, usually being descendants of lost or abandoned horses from colonial times; generally “mob” refers to a large group of animals, commonly used when referring to cattle, horses, kangaroos, or sheep; also used to refer to a group of people, sometimes – although definitely not always – used in a negative or derogatory sense (possibly as an allusion to a group of dumb or wild animals), but also used in a positive sense (e.g. “they’re my mob”) especially amongst Aborigines
mountain ash = a eucalyptus tree; Eucalyptus regnans, also known as Swamp Gum or Stringy Gum), native to southeastern Australia
Old Regret = a famous racing horse, whose offspring were worth a lot of money (apparently a fictional horse, created for the poem)
The Overflow = the name of a rural station, “The Overflow” was referred to in several of Banjo Paterson’s poems (“Clancy of The Overflow”, “The man from Snowy River”, “Old Australian ways”, “The Silent Shearer” and “The Travelling Post Office”); Paterson, in an annotation to a letter from Angus & Robertson (18 January 1913, in the George Robertson papers at the Mitchell Library) wrote: “‘Overflow’ is not intended to refer to any particular run. It is just used as a typical name”; however, it is believed by some to refer to a station named “The Overflow” situated about 32 kilometers (20 miles) to the south-east of the town of Nymagee in New South Wales
pound = a unit of British-style currency then in use in the colonies of Australia; the pound was replaced by the dollar in 1966 when decimal currency was introduced in Australia
scrub = low bushland; also, the low trees and shrubs that grow in such areas
Snowy River = a major river, originating from the Mount Kosciuszko region (New South Wales) and flowing southward through the Eastern Victorian highlands; in the 1950s and early 1960s the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme, a major engineering project with several dams, significantly cut down the flow of the once mighty river
station = a large rural holding for raising sheep or cattle; the term “property” is used for smaller holdings
stockwhip = a long whip used in handling stock, often made from bullock hide
stringy barks = several species of eucalypt trees, characterised by thick fibrous bark that is shed (or can be peeled off) in a stringy manner; older trees are often seen with large strips (strings) of bark hanging from them; used by early colonists for roofing and walls of huts
wild hop = Rosy dock (Acetosa vesicaria), an introduced flowering plant; an invasive weed that has caused biodiversity problems by supplanting Australian plants in their native environments; although it may grazed by animals, significant consumption may cause oxalate and nitrate poisoning
Note: Paterson’s reference to “pine-clad ridges” may be using “poetic licence”, as it is believed that there were no pine trees on or near Mount Koskiusko at the time when this poem was written
References:
“Fun Trivia : Man from Snowy River, The”, Fun Trivia (accessed 14 March 2012) [re. Old Regret]
Andy Parks. “Nymagee – Stories and Songs part one ”, ABC Rural (accessed 14 March 2012) [re. The Overflow]
“Rosy dock: Acetosa vesicaria”, Weeds of Australia (Queensland Government) (accessed 14 March 2012) [re. wild hops]
Filed Under: poetry Tagged With: Banjo Paterson (author) (1864-1941), Editor’s notes, Editor’s notes2, poem, recommended poetry, SourceArchiveOrg, The Man from Snowy River and Other Verses (Banjo Paterson 1895), year1895
Brumbies are an integral part of Australia’s social history and hold important cultural and heritage value.
Each Brumby population area across Australia and overseas is unique in that they can be traced back to their original founding stock through social history and genetics, and have evolved and adapted to the seasonal extremes of the locations where they are found
- The ancestors of today’s Brumbies arrived with the First Fleets to Australia and were valued as an essential and versatile work horse.
- Ancestors of the modern-day Brumbies served during the Boer War and the two World Wars.
- Brumbies have become iconic to Australia, for example, the naming of rugby teams, army units, on paper currency and of course the film The Man From Snowy River which celebrated the heritage of Brumbies in Australia. They also featured at the opening of the Sydney Olympics viewed by people from all over the world.
- Brumbies bring tourists to each area they are found with many local horse and adventure trail operators dependent on Brumbies remaining in the wild.
- The Australia ICOMOS 2013 Burra Charter explains that cultural significance enriches people’s lives, providing a deep, inspirational sense of connection to community and landscape, and to past lived experiences. Cultural significance embodies expressions of identity and experience, reflects the diversity of communities, tells us about who we are, the past that formed us, our landscape and that they are irreplaceable and precious.
Wild Horses represent living heritage values but tragically, they face mounting pressure to be removed from many parts of Australia, and in Victoria they face imminent, complete extinction.http://www.australianbrumbyalliance.org.au/
This must not happen. The following information will help inform the general public, and in turn the government, environmentalists and park managers, of WHY it is vital to retain Wild Horse populations in sustainable numbers for future generations to see and value. australianbrumbyalliance.org.
Australia’s Brumby Heritage history
Horses arrived in Australia in 1788 with the First Fleet and became man’s best friend in the early years of European settlement in Australia. Early horse arrivals came mainly from Cape,Barb horses, Thoroughbreds and Arabians breeds. The horses of Australia had to be tough,strong and be able to survive the harsh climate.
By 1800 there were 200 horses in Australia; rising to 3,500 by 1820. The first report of an escaped horse is in 1804. By 1850 the horse population had grown to 160,000, such was the reliance settlers had on using horses for agriculture, transport, mining, police work and sport.
Many horses escaped or were released into the bush where they lived as Wild Horses until they were captured and used as required. Ancestors of the modern day Brumbies were used during the two World Wars as well as the Boer War in South Africa. Horses captured from the wild were bred for the remount trade. During World War I a large number of remounts used by the Light Horse troops came from the Snowy Mountains and NSW Tablelands and became known as Walers (i.e. from New South Wales). Horses that were bred in the in the wild proved to be calm and sure footed in domestic life.
The Brumbies we see in the NSW Kosciuszko highlands today are thought to have originated from horses left behind when Sergeant James Brumby was transferred from Botany Bay to Van Diemen’s Land in 1806. The horses proved hard to catch from unfenced properties and became known as Brumby’s horses – eventually shortened to Brumbies. Men who left to go to World War 1 let their working horses run wild, expanding the earlier Brumby gene pool base, but many of the men never returned to catch them again after the War ended.
Settlers no longer needed horses when machinery began replacing working and army horses.
With the arrival of the Depression years and industrialisation, many locals simply opened
their gates and let their horses ‘join the wild bush horses…’ as Banjo Patterson described it.
After a century working for humans, and machinery taking over their work, many unwanted horses were left to live a wild existence. Although many horses that were set free may not have survived, the strongest did, and these became the ancestors of the present day Brumby.
Today’s Brumbies are a window back into early settlement lives. A “living heritage” that we need to manage sensitively for future Australian generations to experience and learn from.
The Australian Heritage Brumby has served and died for us in war, carried us around
the outback, mustered stock and carried our kids to school. australianbrumbyalliance.org.
The Past ttps://www.savethebrumbies.org/about-us/australian-heritage-brumby/
The Heritage Brumby is the descendant of the first horses that came out on the ships from England with the convicts and first settlers; initially only seven horses arrived with the first fleet in 1788. These mares and stallions were sufficiently hardy to survive the voyage and further evolved in the 1800’s by natural selection and survival of the fittest to endure the intense heat as well as the cold and snowy conditions of various parts of this diverse country.
The name ‘Brumby’ is generally thought to have originated from an early settler, James Brumby. Horses owned by him were left to free range and readily adapted to the harsh climate of the Australian bush. As there were vast areas of unfenced land the horses roamed freely and breeding was intermixed; Thoroughbred, Arabian, and working horse breeds, Draft and Clydesdale could be said to shape the bloodlines of the hardy Heritage Brumby.
The horses were versatile types and later they were specifically used as war-horses for the First and Second World Wars and the Boer War in South Africa as well as for mounts used in the gold rush days and as police horses.
Their use as war-horses is testament to their good temperament, sure footedness and resilience. Horses from the Northern Tablelands of NSW were captured and bred for the remount trade and were known as Walers; the brumbies roaming free today can be traced back to those early bloodlines including the great Arabian stallion, Saladin. Read more about the light horse here www.lighthorse.org.au
Nelle's journey 