Andrew Barton ‘Banjo’ Paterson (1864 – 1941)

 Born in NSW (south-west of Sydney) – country

roots
 Came from a farming background – his parents were
‘graziers’
 ‘graziers’ – sheep and cattle farming – stock =
wealthier than ordinary cultivators/farmers
 Job in Sydney as a solicitor in a law firm
 Writes poetry in spare time
 Famous poems
o The man from the snowy river
o Clancy of the overflow
o Waltzing Matilda
ORIGINAL POEM
“Waltzing Matilda” - 1895
Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong
Under the shade of a coolibah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".
Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong,
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".
Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred,
Down came the troopers, one, two, three,
"Where's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?"
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
"Where's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?",
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".
Up jumped the swagman and sprang into the billabong,
"You'll never catch me alive", said he,
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me".
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me"
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong,
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me."
"Oh, You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me."
“Clancy of the Overflow”
I had written him a letter which I had, for want of better
Knowledge, sent to where I met him down the Lachlan,
years ago,
He was shearing when I knew him, so I sent the letter to
him,
Just `on spec', addressed as follows, `Clancy, of The
Overflow'.
And an answer came directed in a writing unexpected,
(And I think the same was written with a thumb-nail dipped
in tar)
'Twas his shearing mate who wrote it, and verbatim I will
quote it:
`Clancy's gone to Queensland droving, and we don't know
where he are.'
In my wild erratic fancy visions come to me of Clancy
Gone a-droving `down the Cooper' where the Western
drovers go;
As the stock are slowly stringing, Clancy rides behind them
singing,
For the drover's life has pleasures that the townsfolk never
know.
And the bush hath friends to meet him, and their kindly
voices greet him
In the murmur of the breezes and the river on its bars,
And he sees the vision splendid of the sunlit plains
extended,
And at night the wond'rous glory of the everlasting stars.
I am sitting in my dingy little office, where a stingy
Ray of sunlight struggles feebly down between the houses
MODERN ENGLISH
 Waltzing Matilda = to carry a ‘swag’
 ‘Swag’ – rolled up backpack – a backpack with basic
possessions for survival i.e. basic clothes, cooking
utensils, bed roll.
 Matilda is the name of the swag
 Waltzing means to walk
 Hero is actually the swagman
 Colloquialism = a ‘local’ expression
 Idiomatic expression = a colloquialism
Swagman – traveller to find job, sometimes not honest, like this
one in the poem
Billabong – old part of a river – wet, swamp-like
Coolibah tree – native Australian tree
Billy – a metal container in which water is boiled over the
campfire
Jumback – 1890’s colloquialism of a sheep
The swagman grabs it can kills the sheep and stores it way
"You'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me" – you’ll coming with
me in my travels
Squatter – the owner of the land and maybe the sheep
Thoroughbred- classy horses
Troopers – the police
"Where's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?" –
Who’s sheep have you got in you bag?
Up jumped the swagman – he commits suicides rather than be
captured.
 The ‘overflow’ – the dry land and stream when fills up with
rain water gets swampy – found in the northern region of
Australia, especially the middle of Queensland
 The POV of a person living in NSW
Lachlan – the name of the river
They met Clancy at the river years ago, he was shearing when I
met him
Paterson sends a letter to Clancy to where they first met.
Just little chance to get to Clancy – it was addressed to Clancy
the Overflow
He got a reply eventually, written in tar with the thumbnail
Used warm liquid tar to put on the shearing cut on sheep
Clancy’s sheering mate wrote word for word,
“Clancy has gone down driving (sheep/cattle) in Queensland...”
Cooper’s creek – creeks that connects the Queensland overflow
with SA’s lake Eyre
In my dreams, I saw Clancy gone driving done to the coopers,
where all the droves who work in the Western part of Australia
‘friends’ – bush animals – he can hear the cattle/sheeping
noises too
He can see the vision of the endless plains
And the night where the glory of all the stars is seen
Dingy – small
Smelly and dirty city
Stingy – very smelly air
Paterson is comparing the revolting life in the city to the
luckiness of Clancy in the outback
tall, Lowing = mooing
And the foetid air and gritty of the dusty, dirty city 'buses making hurry down the street – everyone is in a hurry
Through the open window floating, spreads its foulness Bad language used by children in the city
over all Constant sounds of....

And in place of lowing cattle, I can hear the fiendish rattle

Of the tramways and the 'buses making hurry down the
street,
And the language uninviting of the gutter children fighting,
Comes fitfully and faintly through the ceaseless tramp of
feet.

And the hurrying people daunt me, and their pallid faces
haunt me
As they shoulder one another in their rush and nervous
haste,
With their eager eyes and greedy, and their stunted forms
and weedy,
For townsfolk have no time to grow, they have no time to
waste.

And I somehow rather fancy that I'd like to change with

Clancy,
Like to take a turn at droving where the seasons come and
go,
While he faced the round eternal of the cash-book and the
journal --
But I doubt he'd suit the office, Clancy, of `The Overflow'

“The Man from the 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.
Station- large property, animals (stock) grazing
Colt- young male horse
The expensive young son of a racehorse/ show horse had run
away with the wild bush horses
Crack- fantastic horse rider
Fray- to the action
All the best riders got together to the action.
Muster- gather
Snuff- Horses getting excited
Harrison made money when his horse won. Harrison had snow
white hair but a bad temper.
He would ride anywhere with his horse.
He was the best horseman ever, no horse ever threw him. He
learnt while herding on the open 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.
Stripling- skinny, young man
Skinny man with skinny horse (most of verse about horse)
The horse was at least part thoroughbred, something prized by
mountain horsemen.
The horse was tough and not the type to give in. He had
courage in his step and eye.
However he was scrawny, so he was under-estimated.

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, The alps were deemed too rough for the rider.
Those hills are far too rough for such as you.' Clancy stood up for his friend and was adamant he should
So he waited sad and wistful -- only Clancy stood his friend come. The rider and the horse were both bred for the mountain.
--
`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, They come from the Snowy River, which runs beside
 Where the hills are twice as steep and twice as rough, Mt.Kosciusko. The hills there are rougher and steeper than
Where a horse's hoofs strike firelight from the flint stones most.
every stride, Loose stones fall on each step. Riders of the Snowy River make
The man that holds his own is good enough. their home on the mountains. Clancy says that this horseman is
And the Snowy River riders on the mountains make their the best he’s seen.
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.'
Mimosa- wattle tree
From the jump- As soon as they jump, go
Everyone went, going towards the foot of the mountains.
Wheel them- to turn them around
Clancy was told to herd the horses to the right, as soon as they
jumped, because they couldn’t do anything once the horses got
the hills.

So Clancy rode to wheel them -- he was racing on the wing

Where the best and boldest riders take their place, Clancy went, riding where the best riders do. He got to them
And he raced his stock-horse past them, and he made the and everything was going well. But then the horses saw the
ranges ring mountains and charged past Clancy and his horse.
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 Scrub- scattered trees (not thick)
sudden dash,
And off into the mountain scrub they flew.
The riders pursued the horses.
Then fast the horsemen followed, where the gorges deep (Describing the landscape)
and black
Resounded to the thunder of their tread,
And the stockwhips woke the echoes, and they fiercely
answered back Mountain ash and Kurrajong (Aussie trees)
From cliffs and crags that beetled overhead.
And upward, ever upward, the wild horses held their way, The wild horses kept going higher into the mountains.
Where mountain ash and kurrajong grew wide;
And the old man muttered fiercely, `We may bid the mob Took a pull- Stopped his horse
good day,
No man can hold them down the other side.' The old man’s orders were to stop while on this side, because
no one stood a chance on the other side.
When they reached the mountain's summit, even Clancy
took a pull, Clancy (the best rider) even stopped at the top of the mountain.
It well might make the boldest hold their breath, (Describing landscape)
The wild hop scrub grew thickly, and the hidden ground
was full Clancy’s friend (the man from the Snowy River) charged down
Of wombat holes, and any slip was death. the other side of the hill, with everyone watching in fear.
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 Flint stones- loose rocks
its bed, Loose rocks fell, but the horse kept balance, jumping over fallen
While the others stood and watched in very fear. logs.
The rider never flinched, in perfect balance the entire time. It
He sent the flint stones flying, but the pony kept his feet, was a sight to watch him ride.
He cleared the fallen timber in his stride,
And the man from Snowy River never shifted in his seat -- Stringy bark- tree
It was grand to see that mountain horseman ride.
Through the stringy barks and saplings, on the rough and He was charging down, without stopping until the bottom.
broken ground,
Down the hillside at a racing pace he went; He was still chasing the horse.
And he never drew the bridle till he landed safe and sound, He lost them once, but caught them again.
At the bottom of that terrible descent.
He followed steadily.
He was right among the horses as they climbed the further The horses gave in and he brought them back by himself.
hill,
And the watchers on the mountain standing mute, The horse was bleeding.
Saw him ply the stockwhip fiercely, he was right among
them still, Pluck- courage
As he raced across the clearing in pursuit.
Then they lost him for a moment, where two mountain Cur- coward
gullies met
In the ranges, but a final glimpse reveals (Describing landscape)
On a dim and distant hillside the wild horses racing yet,
With the man from Snowy River at their heels. Everyone speaks of his tale.

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.

BUSH POETRY – it’s popular!

Themes – bush distinctive Australian images
Waltzing Matilda – Swagman (the anti-hero)
(landscape
Clancy the overflow
- Distinctive characters in Australia
- Clancy (is a drover)
- Contrast of bush life (good) with the city life
The man from the snowy river
(which is not!)
- mountain cattleman/bush worker + horse

For Question 2 on Analytical Task (find relevant paintings – those in Australia)

 Most people lived in the city – as they do now  same everywhere (in all cities?)
 The different thing = life in the bush (where a minority of people lived)
 Abstract ideas – romanticised images
 Different, distinctive but not typical characters (male), very romanticised images associated with the life in the
bush

Art – in the late 1800, early 1900

 Australian art
o What were the artists painting?
o Why did they choose those themes?
o What were they influenced by?
o Australian group of artists ‘Heidelberg school’

From 1788 onwards:

 Challenges of painting/sketching the landscape?
 Apparent emptiness – “far horizon”
 Animal life very unusual
 Indigenous people (Australians) were often painted as Europeans with dark skin
 Light is harsh and sharp - glary

Challenges of European artists in the late 1800’s and early 1900:

 Light – the harshness and brightness
 Colours of Australia – greyish green, olive green, browns and yellows

Influences – Impressionism
- plein air “fresh air” – they painted outside, not in studios
- Speed in capturing the light

Heidelberg school – the members

Tom Roberts
Frederick Mc Cubbin
Arthur Streeton

“Australian” themes  landscape

 People (sometimes people at work – a particular environment)
The artists painted: portraits, scenes that are set overseas

THOMAS WILLIAM ROBERTS

Aka Tom Roberts
Born: 9 March 1856 Dorchester, Dorset, England - immigrated to Australia 1869
Died: 14 September 1931; Kallista, Victoria
 A key member of the Heidelberg School
 Known after his death, as 'the father of Australian landscape painting'.
Outline of Career:...
3 Examples of their Arts
(for each of the paintings – write a short paragraph on theme, distinctive aspects, and ‘challenges’
Shearing the Rams 1890
Theme – Cattle, farming (sheering sheep
for wool)
Techniques used –
Has a very red colour

Opening of the First Parliament, “The Big Picture”

Theme – Parliament speech
Techniques used - Although indoors, there
is clearly a window of some sort letting in
the light

The Sunny South 1887

Theme –
Techniques used-

ARTHUR STREETON
Born: 8 April 1867 Duneed, Victoria
Died: 1 September 1943
 An official war artist
 Moved to Richmond in 1874 with family
Outline of Career:
Sunlight Sweet

Theme – old style fishing

Techniques used –
Bright sunny day
Circular Quay 1893

Themes- The quay

Techniques used –
Dark and gloomy – washed out blue used

Residence of J. Walker, Esq., Gembrook 1888

Themes – Woody lands/forests of

Australia
Techniques used – forest is a
smooth emerald green (these darker
greens = English style greens), not
really – Australian forests and trees
they are more of a blue-green,
olive-green colour

Golden Summer Eaglemont (Eaglemont is a place)

Themes – people in the area
with sheep/cattle
Capturing the light – painting
scene is in daytime

Techniques used - Use of yellow

as main shade of this painting –
depicts the Australian bush (gold
to yellow)

The Untidy Bush

Themes – Australian temperate rainforest
(just the bush on a sunny and hot day)
Techniques used –
Light colours to show light
The green as the leaves aren’t as
appropriate

Across to the Dandenong Ranges (Tom Roberts)

At Templestowe/ The Road to Templestowe (Arthur Streeton)

Question 2:
What other images were part of a sense of Australian identity at the end of the 19th and the
start of the 20th centuries? Briefly explain each – aspects of Australian environment.
Use quotes – from poetry
Incorporate one or two paintings – just include most of your research.
Assume the person reading this a complete blank - inform

In the late 1800’s and the early 1900’s, other images such as poetry and paintings were
part of the sense of Australian identity.

Question 3: The themes/images covered:

 Pride in British heritage
 Racial ideas – white superiority
 The Bush as a distinctive symbol/image of Australia
THE QUESTION ASKS THAT IF THESE THINGS STILL APPLY TODAY.
Do you think that any of these aspects of Australian identity, referred to in Questions 1 and
2, are still relevant today? Why/why not?