ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

here's one Terry will relate to. written about 10 years ago and a true story -

We often got snakes in the well. Usually browns or taipans that went in after frogs presumably, so fishing them out was an ongoing problem. Not loving snakes at all I got the easy job on the end of the noose snake catcher with the instruction to pull it tight when told but not so tight that I pulled its head off, and then pull it up out of the well, keep the tension on the rope but stay well clear of the bitey end while it was disposed off. Never did work out where I could fit that on a resume


Cleaning the well.


We had started up the pump. To pump water to the house,
but nothing was coming out the other end
We were in the midst of drought, and thought the water had run out,
or perhaps something was stuck in the pipe bend.
So the Boss decided now, was as good as any other
time to climb into the well and take a look.
Just how he was to do this, well that fact was quite elusive
until he had a brainwave, somewhat bloody crook.

At the time we had his brother and his Missus and some others,
staying at the farm to give a helping hand.
We had a truck with crane, and Nev reckoned he was game
in a forty four gallon drum upright to stand.
We figured if he fell out with the water being low
there wasn’t a great chance that he would drown;
but one thing disregarded, never thought of for a minute
was that methane in the well would bring them down,

With madness born of desperation, from a quite dry situation
Nev climbed into the bucket near the crane,
and the bucket swung and wobbled, as he was slowly lowered
into the depths from where the water came.
How he did it I don’t know, but soon ascending slow
a smaller bucket, filled with sludge and bones did rise.
With a skull, a bone or two from a carcass of a roo
that had fallen at some stage to his demise.

Nev looked a little green, from the fumes and sights he’d seen.
Not so good when you knew you had drunk this water.
We’d used it for watering stock, and we hadn’t lost a lot.
Ignorance is bliss. Like small lambs to the slaughter.
Nev rested for a while, gulped some fresh air, gave a smile
then in the drum he disappeared from sight
and buckets kept emerging; it was clear that he was purging
the well of its stash of grisly delight.

This went on for quite a while, Nev reappeared with a smile
And said, “ it’s clean now I think that problem’s solved
We’ll extend the pressure plate to reach the water Mate
For its deeper now, she’ll be as good as gold.”.
You’ll be pleased to know I’m sure that was four years ago or more
and the well has never once again run dry.
Now there’s a cover on it, true, to stop any errant roo
that might like to take a swim from even trying.
No doubt the occasional snake chases frogs in. Big mistake.
Because the silly buggers can’t get out once in.
And then Trevor with a noose, once he knows the well’s in use
has to try and catch the snake beneath the chin.

Which is pretty bloody hard when you realize they don’t have one -
it’s akin to roping noodles on a plate.
It needs a deft hand and sure eye, for the snake is fighting shy
and not keen on rescue tactics used to date.
Since his demeanor is so cranky, you don’t want him round your paddock
So he’s dispatched and pretty quick.. So long Joe Blake
‘Cause if he’s hanging round the water, either stock or you he’ll slaughter
and there isn’t any love lost with a snake.


Maureen Clifford ©

here is a little one that follows on about water supply I wrote this in 2003

The Outback Windmill ©

Standing not so tall, but on straight legs you stand
Never moving yet you turn in never ending circles
Your head often spinning yet you never fall down
Your heart always pumping giving life to everything
Though you sometimes moan you constant give life
All life depends on you but rarely do you fail them
The wind, your constant ally and your friend
Without him, your life would cease to be
You face across the country always to the breeze
Moaning, grumbling, making noises impolite
Yet in this dry and desolate country you stand
From all the animals that walk and hop,
The birds that fly, to you, we owe a tribute
You are just a windmill yet without you
There would be no water we silently say thanks

So Nev got a little green.... this Nev got very queasy just reading about that claustrophobic descent into the quagmire. .

We were lucky we didn't kill him Neville - the well was full of methane something that we hadn't even considered Once he disturbed the sludge and crap in the bottom of it the methane started to leech out and we got him out before he passed out. Lucky he wasn't using matches to see.

Ah, the problems we city dwellers can't even imagine! This is a big advance on leaves in the gutters, Maureen!

Hi Maureen

We used to have the same problems down the bottom of old shafts both in the goldfields and at Coober Pedy.

I always used to take a torch with me if I remembered when checking out an old shaft the first time, I always felt a bit wary as well.

I've only come across a couple myself, but it's a reasonably common and snakes often have hidy holes in and around the mullock dumps as well.

Terry