More on The Maid of Australia.
If you haven't already done so it's worth taking a look at the other thread on this very song. We have an unpublished version from Devon and an Australian version collected somewhat later on. For reasons I would explain if needed it surely is very doubtful that the song was made in Australia. When we have looked at all versions together I wouldn't be surprised if that one goes back to American versions. The thread also mentions 2 versions collected by Carpenter and this might prove useful when we've seen these 2 versions. The VWML website is about to put up the Carpenter Collection shortly if it has not already been done. One feature of both the versions on the other thread is some shunting has taken place(the running together of 2 verses into 1 ( sometimes attributable to oral tradition, sometimes to rewriting by broadside writers. More likely oral tradition in this case.