DENIS O’REILLY
(Traditional)

When first I left old Ireland's shore the yarns that I was told
Of how the folks in Australia could pick up lumps of gold
How gold dust lay in all the streets and miner's rights were free
Hurrah I told my loving friends that's just the place for me

Chorus
With my swag all on my shoulder, black billy in my hand
I'll travel the bushes of Australia like a true born Irishman

And then we came to Melbourne town and we all prepared to slip
All bar the captain and the mate the crew abandoned ship
And all the girls of Melbourne town they threw up their arms with joy
Saying one unto the other, ‘Here comes the Irish boy’

And then we went into Geelong town and north-west to Ballarat
Where some of us grew mighty thin and some grew sleek and fat
Some tried their luck at Bendigo and some at Fiery Creek
Well I made my fortune in a day and I blued it in a week

Now it's many a year I have travelled round to each new field about
And made and spent full many a pound till the alluvial petered out
And now for any job of work I was prepared to try
But now I've found this tucker track I'll stay here till I die

There are several versions. The above is fairly close to the version recorded by the Bushwackers.

Youtube clip

--Stewie.