WESTERN AUSTRALIA FOR ME

Composed by an Irish Australian Lawyer in 1831

NB all info taken from the WASONG website : https://wasong.com.au/wasong/

The song ‘Western Australia for me’ was written by the Irish Lawyer George Fletcher Moore. It was first sung by George Fletcher Moore at the first Ball at the governor’s house in 1831 enjoyed by 180 ladies and gentlemen to the wee hours of 6 a.m.

”Swans were so abundant on the river when first discovered as to give the name Swan River Settlement. I dare not say that I christened the colony, but certainly after the above song, the name of Western Australia was adopted.”

George Fletcher Moore graduated in law in Ireland in1820. Seeing little prospect of advancement he decided to pursue a legal career in the English colonies. He sailed from Dublin to Western Australia on board the Cleopatra, arriving at the Swan River Colony on 30 October 1830. In February 1832, he was appointed a Commissioner of the Civil Court. Rewarded with land and a regular salary, Moore purchased stock and by 1833 he had one of the largest flocks of sheep in the colony.

Moore was unusual amongst his contemporaries in a number of ways. He was vocal about the colonies economic problems being brought about by mismanagement. His criticisms made him unpopular with many of the colonies establishment.

Moore also developed friendly, lasting relationships with the Indigenous Australians of the area. He began to take a scholarly interest in their language and customs and in1833, Moore published in the Perth Gazette the first account of the customs of the Aborigines of the area. He later co produced a book with John Hutt called A Descriptive Vocabulary of the Language in Common Use Amongst the Aborigines of Western Australia.

Moore was an active explorer and the Moore River (near New Norcia) was named after him.

In about 1878, the editor of The West Australian, Sir Thomas Cockburn Campbell, sought and was granted permission to serialise Moore’s letters. The letters appeared in the West Australian in 1881 and 1882. On seeing them in print, Moore decided to republish them in book form. They were published in 1884 as Diary of Ten Years Eventful Life of an Early Settler in Western Australia.


Graphics and text from Wikipedia.


".....We have come to explore,
the wilds of this Western Australian Shore,
In search of a country, we’ve ventured to roam,
and now we’ve found it, let’s make it our home.
And what though the Colony’s new, Sirs,
And inhabitants may be few, Sirs,
We see them increasing here, Sirs,
So Western Australia for me.

With care and experience, I’m sure ’twill be found,
Two crops in the year we may get from the ground;
There’s good wood and good water, good flesh and good fish,
Good soil and good clime, and what more could you wish.
Then let everyone earnestly strive, Sirs,
Do his best, be alert and alive, Sirs,
So Western Australia for me.

No lions or tigers we here dread to meet,
Our innocent quadrupeds hop on two feet,
No tithes and no taxes we now have to pay,
And our Geese are all Swans, as some witty folks say,
Then we live without trouble or stealth, Sirs,
Our currency’s all sterling wealth, Sirs,
So here’s to our Governor’s health, Sirs,
And Western Australia for me.”


The song is sung on Vimeo, by St Hilda’s Choir at : https://wasong.com.au/wasong/


I note that two of my forebears preceded Mr Moore into the Swan River Colony. Sadly however, they did not have his kind of money and education.
Actually, I’m not so sure they had any of either necessity – as one was an indentured servant (i.e. female white slave) on the Rockingham, and one was an emancipated East End convict,
who was doing all right - until he married the Rockingham female!!   C’est la Vie.


Cheers, R-J