The object of the present publication is to gather together
all the old bush songs that are worth remembering. Apart
from other considerations, there are many Australians who
will be reminded by these songs of the life of the shearing
sheds, the roar of the diggings townships, and the campfires
of the overlanders. The diggings are all deep sinking now,
the shearing is done by contract, and the cattle are sent by
rail to market, while newspapers travel all over Australia;
so there will be no more bush ballads composed and
sung, as these were composed and sung, as records of the
early days of the nation. In their very roughness, in their
absolute lack of any mention of home ties or of the domestic
affections, they proclaim their genuineness. They were collected
from all parts of Australia, and have been patched
together by the compiler to the best of his ability, with
the idea of presenting the song as nearly as possible as it was
sung, rather than attempting to soften any roughness or
irregularity of metre. Attempts to ascertain the names of
the authors have produced contradictory statements, and no
doubt some of the songs were begun by one man and
finished or improved by another, or several others. Some
few fairly recent ballads have been included, but for the most
part no attempt has been made to include any of the more
ambitious literary productions of modern writers. This collection
is intended to consist of the old bush songs as they
were sung in the early days, and as such it is placed before
the reader.
Most cordial thanks are due to those who have sent contributions,
and it is hoped that others who can remember any
old songs not included here will forward them for inclusion
in a future edition.