The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Discussion of any bush poetry topic.
ONLY Registered Forum Members have access to this Forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
Gary Harding
Posts: 651
Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Hervey Bay, Qld (ex Victorian)
Contact:

Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Sun Apr 24, 2022 6:09 am

John O'Brien (Father Patrick Hartigan, 1879 - 1952) would be familiar to most people on this forum. His wonderful book "Around The Boree Log" as well as The Parish of St. Mel's (1954) surely deserve to be presented to all Australians.

He also wrote two other books (non-fiction) ..

The Men of '38 and Other Pioneer Priests. One can usually pick up a copy from $40 - $60.

On Darlinghurst Hill...History of the Parish of The Sacred Heart, Darlinghurst. My own copy now packed away is a first edition and was notably published in 1952, the year of Father Pat's death. I like the way they say on the cover "Author of Around The Boree Log"

That would not mean much to many people today I suppose, but hopefully with quite a bit of Irish luck sent from Father Pat up above, we might just be able to proudly introduce his ballads to everybody, especially children, at the Australian Cultural Centre. His nice display is advanced.

Visitors to the Centre do not have to enjoy his writing.. it is an individual thing.. but we alone see our Duty as placing it in front of people en masse for the first time and in the best way that we can, and let them decide for themselves. It is about the poetry itself and the author's personal story supports that.

We have commenced working towards our aim of stunningly reproducing (using amazing modern technology) his remarkable and well-documented drive in 1911 to deliver the last rites to Jack Riley who was suggested by some as being the inspiration for the Man from Snowy River. This involves modelling (which we are getting quite good at), drone and GoogleEarth footage and some 3D printing of items like the 8hp Renault tourer car he drove.. but that is all yet another fascinating story for later.

We certainly do not mess around in our noble task of bringing real Australian Literature to Australians for the very first time... with no agendas, social interpretations, history re-writes, slanting or nasty politicisation that unsavoury governments invariably insist on. No wonder they do not want to even recognise us!!! :) Contemptible, un-Australian ..and perhaps a tad sinister too? Anyway most of the work is done.... and we just need someone of means as a Partner who shares our patriotism and has a true passion for Australia... not grandstanding speeches, websites or talk-fests about Saving Australia... we are the real deal... and then we will have the best presentation of Australia and its Culture anywhere!! for posterity :)

“We’ll all be rooned,” said Hanrahan,
In accents most forlorn,
Outside the church, ere Mass began,
One frosty Sunday morn.

The congregation stood about,
Coat-collars to the ears,
And talked of stock, and crops, and drought,
As it had done for years.

“It’s lookin' crook,” said Daniel Croke;
“Bedad, it’s cruke, me lad,
For never since the banks went broke
Has seasons been so bad.”

“It’s dry, all right,” said young O’Neil,
With which astute remark
He squatted down upon his heel
And chewed a piece of bark.

And so around the chorus ran
“It’s keepin’ dry, no doubt.”
“We’ll all be rooned,” said Hanrahan
“Before the year is out.”

Said Hanrahan (John O'Brien)

It is surprising how many of the older generation who see our special display of John O'Brien and his work, know this poem. :)
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by Gary Harding on Fri May 06, 2022 2:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Gary Harding
Posts: 651
Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Hervey Bay, Qld (ex Victorian)
Contact:

Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Tue Apr 26, 2022 2:48 pm

POLITICS

This week will see a visit to our small sample display by two local political aspirants... one from One Nation (Pauline) and the other from United Australia (Clive) at my invitation. I contacted them via FB. Sadly the local sitting LNP bloke does not even want to know us.. and yet we are actually very nice people. But he reckons it is a safe seat. We threaten government fiefdoms and so our major Australian Cultural Centre Project is naturally persona non grata in Canberra ... unwelcome... so, fair enough.

... and I have no idea who the Labor bloke is ...

A neighbour mate of mine from two doors down is an ex Deputy Qld Premier and said the Pauline connection could be good.. but we will see.
Anyway it will be great to see (I hope) two young people with solid and sensible ideals visiting. Both have given up their day jobs to battle it out at the polls. They have my admiration because they say they love Australia, like us... and so it will be fun. One never knows the outcome of an election.. surprises happen but I anticipate that neither will get in.

I recall once being so frustrated and angry with the major parties rudely slamming the door in our face that I chose on the day to vote for The Sex Party.

Fantastic.. why not.. hooray! It was only later that I found they supported marijuana-taking ... pot-plants of a dubious variety shall we say...and so I felt totally conned. Do not judge a book etc. I learned.

I crossed swords once with the Independent here Jack Dempsey... ex State Minister. I was winning a war of words over a Road Safety issue because I could argue engineering which they totally fumbled. In the end I felt actually subtly threatened so I accepted their implied surrender and left them to waste more public money. So Jack and I would not get on.. even if his public persona is "nice guy". When it gets down to tin-tacks and the real world... niceness in politics fades rapidly!

It is a short window in which to have a great time... after the election as we realise, nobody wants to know you.

Isn't politics fun! :)

User avatar
Gary Harding
Posts: 651
Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Hervey Bay, Qld (ex Victorian)
Contact:

Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Sat Apr 30, 2022 12:34 pm

The first visitor was Kristie Nash of the UAP.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=13 ... __=*bH-y-R

What a delightful person and really "switched on" because she immediately grasped the enormous national cultural implications of what we are doing. Even if it was just a small sample spread around a large room.

Pictures and words really do not carry much weight.. you have to SEE it to be WOW'd.

A coloured shirt grabs attention... and attention is what we are trying to get. One has to be a bit "pushy" and forward. There is a lot of competition out there so you cannot be a shrinking violet if succeeding is your aim.. which it is.

It is all for Australia.... not for a profit or dollar. And I have seen a lot of those dollars go outwards!! and not in.

Well, we are not perfect, but certainly trying our best. Words of encouragement are always welcome. Gary
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
Gary Harding
Posts: 651
Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Hervey Bay, Qld (ex Victorian)
Contact:

Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Sat Apr 30, 2022 4:21 pm

Bought at a local auction today (for $100) is this lovely shelf, valve radio. (STC). What stories could it tell?

The undamaged, wooden cabinetry is in great condition with the integrity of the veneer perfect.. but it requires some pro-restoration for the varnish which is now roughened with time..and then will come up like new.
Glass has slipped and needs cleaning and resetting in its front frame.. no problem. It should be stunning. Who doesn't love the warm glow of wood!?

I am thinking that it will have Jacko The Kookaburra (see previous post) emanating from the speaker at the touch of a button for any guest so inclined... plus a full size B&W backdrop of an Australian family listening to their radio in the 1930's in order to create atmosphere.

The Jacko book we have for display was presented to Toolangi State School by Mrs. C J Dennis. (see previous post)
If you saw this emotional display, you would reckon all your Christmases had come at once.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
Gary Harding
Posts: 651
Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Hervey Bay, Qld (ex Victorian)
Contact:

Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Sun May 01, 2022 4:49 pm

The 6.3volt valve filament-winding on the power transformer also provides power for the small incandescent lamps that light the dial.
One would never dream of plugging this radio in and turning it on. The thing could easily go up in smoke/fire with all the old parts..eg. transformer windings, aged electrolytic capacitors, resistors of now dubious value and deteriorated insulation that could short. That is if the dodgy power lead did not fail first.

Miscellaneous mouse droppings add to ones distrust of the unit.

So for show purposes, as I did with the beautiful floor-standing wooden radio console unit, I happily use a 6v plug-pack to supply the dial-lamps, bypassing the power transformer.

As a young kid I used to fix these old radios for neighbours who were always keen to get a free job... no licence of course.. mostly messing around with the power supplies as the common fault. Still lots of High Tension voltage there and you wonder how you survived... insanity is the price of learning.

Sane people just did not poke around inside those things.

User avatar
Gary Harding
Posts: 651
Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Hervey Bay, Qld (ex Victorian)
Contact:

Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Mon May 02, 2022 9:07 am

Sentimental Monday today... and A Memory Shared. :)

My second-cousin Andy Harding who lived nearby in Victoria, was the real radio and electronics Genius then.

Together we got into some fun things in our youth.. never destructive... at a time when one had the Freedom to do anything (almost). He went on to establish a successful Radio and Apple Computer Repair business.

From his own radio shack in his backyard, he once set up a limited-power local radio transmitter on the AM broadcast band, named his own station 3AH and advertised it around our high school.
Needless to say, that illegal, youthful and gleeful activity ceased when a Direction Finding Van pulled up outside his house and the (actually) nice man had a few kind words of paternal advice for him. I doubt if in today's authoritarian society, that wise approach would have been applied.. Fear and Huge Fines now I guess... but...

Pictured below is young Andy (right) and myself at the older Allan Pease's (centre) wedding.

I was Best Man and Andy was Groomsman. The Three Musketeers? or three oddballs?

Allan who now lives at Buderim will be familiar to most readers.

He later made his mark (and fortune) in pioneering Body Language and has gone on to write many books and be Australia's biggest selling author .. Ever. Certainly if one includes the countless pirated copies of his books made and sold in countries who do not respect copyright. :)
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
Gary Harding
Posts: 651
Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Hervey Bay, Qld (ex Victorian)
Contact:

Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Tue May 10, 2022 4:50 pm

SONGBOOKS

One Australian Cultural aspect that we explore is that of Songbooks... in particular University Songbooks.
We don't aim to have them all (as a Collector might do) but rather we try to present a sample of the exceptional ones, including their contents.

There are other songbooks.. notably Scouting and Australian Folksong.

Also Bushwalking Clubs have produced some nice publications such as .. Melb Uni. Montianeering Club (MUMC) Songbook and The Walker's Song Book (Kameruka Bushwalking Club, 1962).

However I tend to think the best two are :

1. The Monash University Bushwalking Club Songbook, now unobtainable of which I have 3 copies. (Title "The opposite of love is not hate but apathy") My personal copy (pictured) is very worn ..being taped together and stained over the years with who knows what drinks... which is how a songbook should surely be?

2. The now virtually unobtainable University Songbook by Geoff Best, Tony Correll and Ian Owens incl. music.(I have 3 copies) Pictured with roistering illustration on front cover.
Again my personal copy is very stained and abused. Patina one might perhaps say?

What do you do around campfires with big groups??
Well some brave soul or a trip leader will start up a song and pretty soon everyone is singing it, even if only the chorus which is pretty quickly picked up. Thus songs are passed on and I remember many of them that way.

These books are so much FUN, so bonding and a record occasionally of the social times too. For me at least they present as exceptionally Cultural items. A wonderful activity for people of ANY age.... out in the bush .. or at a party or riotous sporting function. Overseas tunes are included, some with the lyrics altered. :)

I have been at functions where some bold person in the crowd will spontaneously and loudly start up a song, then there is a moment's hushed silence ..then voices are lifted in unison to sing this (sometimes a little ribald) creation.

One popular song from a songbook that comes to mind originally taught to me by a rover scout :

Oh, the Deacon went down. (Oh, the Deacon went down)
To the cellar to pray. (To the cellar to pray)
And he done got drunk. (And he done got drunk)
And he stayed all day. (And he stayed all day)
(together) Oh, the deacon went down to the cellar to pray,
And he done got drunk and he stayed all day.

I ain't gonna grieve ma Lord no more
Oh, I ain't gonna grieve ma Lord no more,
I ain't gonna gree.i.e.i.eve.. ma Lord no more.


Oh you can't go to heaven with a bottle of beer,
'Cos the Lord will say "Only Spirits Here".

Oh, you can't go to heaven on a pair of skis,
For you'll slide right past St. Peter's knees. etc.

Such are the very weird and wonderful ways of The (unique) Australian Cultural Centre! :) :)
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
Gary Harding
Posts: 651
Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Hervey Bay, Qld (ex Victorian)
Contact:

Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Sat May 14, 2022 6:49 am

I am a very big admirer of bush poet Jim Grahame who was Henry Lawson's mate (see a previous post). All those people in earlier times were inter-connected and bush poetry played a part in forming those bonds.

I think I have told the story of how decades ago I met by chance in Sydney, Jim's great grand-daughter who proudly has his actual writing desk!
Jim's first poetry book was Call Of The Bush, 1940.

A copy from the Collection is shown below. What makes it special is that it is additionally inscribed by Jim to Ion Idriess (Born 1889 Waverley NSW, died 1979 Mona Vale NSW), a very famous and prolific author of non-fiction.

"To Ian (sic) Idriess, A small token of appreciation of our first meeting, Jim Grahame, Leeton April 24, 1945"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_Idriess

A large quantity of Ion's estate appeared on the market recently. Books, documents, manuscripts, letters, photos and memorabilia.

"With the outbreak of war, in 1914 Idriess enlisted in the 5th Light Horse Regiment, AIF, as a trooper. He saw action in Palestine, Sinai and Turkey, being wounded at Beersheba and Gallipoli – where he acted as spotter for noted sniper Billy Sing."

I have a book in my military section that is all about Billy Sing.
Gallipoli Sniper: The life of Billy Sing .. John Hamilton.

Ion Idriess described Sing as "a little chap, very dark, with a jet black moustache and goatee beard. A picturesque looking mankiller. He is the crack shot of the Anzacs." (score : 150 - 300 kills, take your pick)

The following Gallipoli anecdote is interesting...

"Sing's reputation resulted in a champion Turkish sniper, nicknamed 'Abdul the Terrible' by the Allied side, being assigned to deal with him. Allegedly the Turks were largely able to distinguish Sing's sniping from that of other ANZAC soldiers, and that only the reports of incidents believed to be Sing's work were passed on to Abdul. Through analysis of the victims' actions and wounds, Abdul concluded that Sing's position was at Chatham's Post. After several days, Sing's spotter alerted him to a potential target, and he took aim, only to find the target—Abdul—looking in his direction. Sing prepared to fire, trying not to reveal his position, but the Turkish sniper noticed him and began his own firing sequence.Sing fired first and killed Abdul.Very shortly thereafter, the Turkish artillery fired on Sing's position—he and his spotter barely managed to evacuate from Chatham's Post alive."

Ion Idriess also wrote the best selling book Flynn Of The Inland (see previous post) and Edward Harrington wrote the poem of the same name. We featured Edward's poem in a framed calligraphy presentation. (refer previous post for this story)

I would classify this inscribed book of bush ballads of Jim Grahame's as an Australian National Treasure.
It is all such great FUN! The bits all fit together like a jigsaw.

It is an honour to be able to share this material with my fellow enthusiastic and dedicated ABPA members who I know would love it all too.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
Gary Harding
Posts: 651
Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Hervey Bay, Qld (ex Victorian)
Contact:

Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Tue May 17, 2022 4:12 pm

Whenever I buy something, I make a point of passing on my sincere thanks to the Seller.

I thank them for selling THEIR property to me and explain to them what I intend to do with it. I emphasise that they are contributors to uniquely preserving Australia's cultural heritage. They invariably love their country too, and see their sale as a way of doing their little bit. I make sure they know that!!

I do not think many people take the time to communicate .. just "buy and run".. at arms-length..

As a result of my approach of involving Sellers, I have made some wonderful Friends. Collectors, restorers, traders and people who are masters in their field. For example, I knew nothing about sheet music until I gained the friendship of a guy who was Australia's most knowledgeable person on it and I call on that expertise frequently. It takes time but you become part of an informal network I think... and top folk in most fields of interest become accessible.

I am an "expert" on nothing ... I do not even like the word.

A fanatic perhaps.. with the aim of completing The Australian Cultural Centre for current and future generations, even if I have to do a deal with The Devil.. (but never government) ..before it is all destroyed or lost. I have younger visitors here occasionally who have never heard of Henry Lawson!

But you enjoy the friends you make along the way... warm friendships earned, even at great distances. Some have enormous knowledge and talents. It makes me wonder about my own adequacy.
It is humbling.. that is for sure.

User avatar
Gary Harding
Posts: 651
Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2013 3:26 pm
Location: Hervey Bay, Qld (ex Victorian)
Contact:

Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Wed May 18, 2022 3:11 pm

Waltzing Matilda.. Waltzes to France! (sort of)

Fabulous Beacon Magazine presents our 4-page article on this little known story.

The first double-page spread is actually our large poster-board display that we use to present this fascinating story in The Australian Cultural Centre.

The next double-page adds further background to it all.

It is a lovely, touching Waltzing Matilda story that we researched years ago and then made into this colourful presentation. In places it can bring tears to your eyes. It is so.... French! Only the French can romanticize something so delightfully, surely?

"En vaisant vous etiez si jolie,
Quand vous dansiez Matilda pour moi" (Oh, Wow!)

Banjo Paterson would have enjoyed the poignancy and the parallels too... as told completely and exclusively by us. :) :)

https://thebeacon.com.au/magazine-publications/ Issue 29
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

Post Reply