THE BRIGALOW BRIGADE
(Harry Morant)

There’s a band of decent fellows
On a cattle run outback
You’ll hear the timber smashing
If you follow in their track
Their ways are rough and hearty
And they call a spade a spade
And a pretty rapid party
Are the Brigalow Brigade

They are mostly short of sugar
And their pockets if turned out
Would scarcely yield the needful
For a decent four-man shout
But they’ll scramble through a tight place
Or a big fence unafraid
And their hearts are in the right place
In the Brigalow Brigade

They’ve painted Parkes vermilion
They’ve coloured Orange blue
They broken lots of top-rails
‘Twixt the sea and Dandaloo
They like their grog and palings
Just as stiff as they are made
These are two little failings
Of the Brigalow Brigade

The Brigalow Brigade are
Fastidious in their taste
In the matter of a maiden
And the inches of her waist
She must be sweet and tender
And her eyes a decent shade
Then her Ma can safely send her
To the Brigalow Brigade

But women, grog and horses
With polo in between
Are mighty potent forces
In keeping purses lean
But the spurs are never rusty
Though they seldom need their aid
For the cuddles ain’t too dusty
In the Brigalow Brigade

Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) is a wattle occurring in inland areas of NSW and Queensland. The Brigalow Brigade refers to stockmen and drovers who worked in remote areas.

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--Stewie.