A Bush Christmas by C J Dennis

The sun burns hotly thro’ the gums As down the road old Rogan comes The hatter from the lonely hut Beside the track to Woollybutt. He likes to spend his Christmas with us here. He says a man gets sort of strange Living alone without a change, Gets sort of settled in his way; And […]

A Payable Claim – by Dryblower Murphy

Although the Sydney Bulletin claimed businessmen at Coolgardie were on more payable claims than the diggers, they were not the only ones, according to E.G. ‘Dryblower’ Murphy, who wrote: A few of the lucky have dropped in on a patch And gone on a rollicking spree, Where a woman is waiting the digger to catch […]

The Old Prospector

Geraldton Guardian – 22 December 1928, page 30 The Old Prospector There are some places closer in that yield a little still, But they are not of any use at all to me, said Bill, There is a living there for those, who like to stop and dig, But further out there always is a […]

His Quest by Dryblower Murphy

His Quest. by Dryblower Murphy 1926 It was out beyond the Bulong track we met him swagging in, He was middle-aged and ginger, haggard-eyed and famine-thin; And while he munched some damper and a pannikin of tea, He asked us if we thought he’d catch the Perth express at three. There was not a watch […]

The Old Prospector – a verse

Coolgardie Miner 16 June 1938, page 8 The Old Prospector: He fossicks around from year to year Away in the country’s outback, A little bit there, a little bit here With a sample or two in his pack. Away from the tracks of his fellows, The places that other men know, To the land of […]