Heard KIMBERS MEN’S version of this sung by a fabulous young harmonic female duo. About 90% has been re-written but with about 4 lines kept from the original. —hence, is it a different song? Think it’s the same tune (Queer bungle rye). Not sure about the last girl’s name —sounds like “Loose”

You can find this on YouTube.

Tow Rope Girls by Kimber's Men

The ship's leaving Fisker with cargoes of grain,
Hartigan timber in the fog and the rain,
We're loading nitrate down Ekegay bay,
For the girls have got hold of our tow rope today.

Goodbye Sarafina, Rosita and Loose (?)
The girls on the tow rope are steady and true,
Mothers and sisters and sweethearts and all,
It's haul away, all the way, haul away haul.

The last sack of nitrate is stowed down at last,
The Southern Cross burns at the head of the mast,
We'll sing fair thee well as we get under way,
For the girls have got hold of our tow rope today.

Goodbye Sarafina, Rosita and Loose (?)
The girls on the tow rope are steady and true,
Mothers and sisters and sweethearts and all,
It's haul away, all the way, haul away haul.

We're rounding the Horn with our gallant soft set,
Our lee rail is under, we're cursing ya bet!
But the old man's a driver he'll brook no delay,
For the girls have got hold of our tow rope today.

Goodbye Sarafina, Rosita and Loose (?)
The girls on the tow rope are steady and true,
Mothers and sisters and sweethearts and all,
It's haul away, all the way, haul away haul.

Cape Stiff is behind us, blue waters beneath,
Her waist like a mill-race, there's a bone in her teeth,
We've entered the trades now we'll soon make her pay,
For the girls have got hold of our tow rope today.

Goodbye Sarafina, Rosita and Loose (?)
The girls on the tow rope are steady and true,
Mothers and sisters and sweethearts and all,
It's haul away, all the way, haul away haul.

The mate's on the poop-deck a shootin' the sun,
He'll soon be deducing how far the ship's run,
Let's crack the old hooker and get on our way,
For the girls have got hold of our tow rope today.

Goodbye Sarafina, Rosita and Loose (?)
The girls on the tow rope are steady and true,
Mothers and sisters and sweethearts and all,
It's haul away, all the way, haul away haul.

At last we're in harbour, the rags are all furled,
The girls are a waiting we're on top of the world!
"That’ll do!" Cries a mate now here’s 14 months pay,
For the girls have got hold of our tow rope today.

Goodbye Sarafina, Rosita and Loose (?)
The girls on the tow rope are steady and true,
Mothers and sisters and sweethearts and all,
It's haul away, all the way, haul away haul.

It's haul away, all the way, haul away, haul.

Anyone know any more about this?

Brad.