That Moment in Time: February 2014

Monday, February 17, 2014

HAPPY 150TH BIRTHDAY, BANJO PATERSON!

One of Australia's most famous poets, known mostly as a bush poet, was born 150 years ago today.

I imagine that he would have been totally amazed to know that we still celebrate his works all these years later.

Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson was born in Orange, NSW on 17th February, 1864.

To quote Wikipedia...

"...the eldest son of Andrew Bogle Paterson, a Scottish immigrant from Lanarkshire, and Australian-born Rose Isabella Barton,^[3]related to the future first Prime Minister of Australia Edmund Barton.^[4] Paterson's family lived on the isolated Buckinbah Station near Yeoval NSW ^[5]until he was five when his father lost his wool clip in a flood and was forced to sell up.^[6] When Paterson's uncle died, his family took over the uncle's farm in Illalong, near Yass, close to the main route between Melbourne and Sydney. Bullock teams, Cobb and Co coaches and drovers were familiar sights to him. He also saw horsemen from the Murrumbidgee River area and Snowy Mountainscountry take part in picnic races and polo matches, which led to his fondness of horses and inspired his writings.^[3]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banjo_Paterson

The link above gives a summary of his life and works, one of his most famous has to be the words of Waltzing Matilda...

However, one of my favourites is

"The Man From Snowy River"

I just love the rhythm of it.

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 stockhorse snuffs the battle with delight.

Banjo rests at the Northern Suburbs Crematorium, Sydney.

May he Rest in Peace.