“Pioneers” by A.B. “Banjo” Paterson (1864-1941)
- First published in Town and Country Journal, 1896.

They came of bold and roving stock that would not fixed abide;
They were the sons of field and flock since e'er they learnt to ride,
We may not hope to see such men in these degenerate years
As those explorers of the bush -- the brave old pioneers.

'Twas they who rode the trackless bush in heat and storm and drought;
'Twas they who heard the master-word that called them farther out;
'Twas they who followed up the trail the mountain cattle made,
And pressed across the mighty range where now their bones are laid.

But now the times are dull and slow, the brave old days are dead
When hardy bushmen started out, and forced their way ahead
By tangled scrub and forests grim towards the unknown west,
And spied the far-off promised land from off the range's crest.

Oh! ye that sleep in lonely graves by far-off ridge and plain,
We drink to you in silence now as Christmas comes again,
To you who fought the wilderness through rough unsettled years --
The founders of our nation's life, the brave old pioneers.

This old house might have been built around the time Banjo Paterson penned this poem. It sits slowly decaying in the little hamlet of Tunbridge. Even the windmill no longer pumps water from this dry land. But with these classic lines from the bush poet, we remember the pioneers who once lived here:
"Oh! ye that sleep in lonely graves by far-off ridge and plain,
We drink to you in silence now as Christmas comes again,
To you who fought the wilderness through rough unsettled years --
The founders of our nation's life, the brave old pioneers."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banjo_Paterson

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This bust of a girl can be seen in an Irish pub at Salamanca Place. But it does remind me of an F. Scott Fitzgerald essay, The Crack-Up: "By God, if I ever cracked, I'd try to make the world crack with me."

Or there's that wonderful 1989 song by Joe Camilleri and The Black Sorrows. www.youtube.com/watch?v=oud3N084d-g

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Visitors to Hobart will know Salamanca Place for its famous craft market each Saturday. www.salamancamarket.com.au/Home

It is the heart of the historic Hobart waterfront. In warehouses constructed out of stone by convicts early in the 19th century, goods shipped in and out of the port were stored. Today it is the fashionable arts and dining hub of Hobart, where there are almost as many private art galleries as fine dining restaurants.

Here we are looking southwest and behind the buildings is the summit of Mt Wellington/kunanyi. In summer, alfresco dining is all the rage.

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After a three week stay in Launceston The Great Moscow Circus has moved on to Devonport. Prior to coming here they had a successful season in Hobart.

The Great Moscow Circus 2024 in Tasmania www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hPemxGSAFg

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An old tree exposed to the prevailing winds has stood the test of time.

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