BRINDABELLA MORNING
(Mike Hayes)

As the snow falls on the Brindabella Ranges
Watch it sparkle as it catches all the early morning light
Like a string of diamonds up above the tree tops
On your Brindabella morning, lord, it makes a wondrous sight

But it’s not a northern billabong at sundown
Where the brumbies make their way across anthill plains
And you can’t look down and see a thousand buffalo
Wading across the black soil after monsoon rains

And the campfires of the Brinkin tribe don’t glimmer here at night
To let the traveller know he’s not alone
Though your Brindabella morning shines like crystal in the light
It’s not my time, it’s not my place, it’s not home

See the black swans nesting far out on your big lake
See the water as it’s rippled by a tiny breath of breeze
And a sudden flash of colour in the gum break
As your parrots flit like jewels ’neath your soaring mountain trees

But its not a million magpie geese a-rising
Blotting out the sun as they suddenly take wing
From some pool beside the Alligator River
That’s dry until the first rains fall in spring

And I miss those fish crocs barking around sundown
When the air gets thick and those fruit bats start to roam
You might find your piece of heaven on this Brindabella day
But it’s not my time, it’s not my place, it’s not home

Mike Hayes' reflections on leaving the Top End to live in Canberra post-Cyclone Tracy. Mike worked in Darwin for the ABC and he was the first journalist to report on the cyclone.

Click

Mike later became well-known for his radio program 'The Prickle Farm':

Prickle Farm

Mike died in 2003, a few days short of his 59th birthday. Here is a bio published in the 'The Sydney Morning Herald':

Mike Hayes

Unfortunately, there is no clip on YT of Mike performing 'Brindabella Morning'. However, it was recorded by Ralph Harris:

Youtube clip

--Stewie.