G'day thespionage,

The banjo became quite popular in Australia in the Goldrush period (1851 -18800. Since it stood up better than the guitar to the extreme dry weather of the inland it was a popular dance instrument and associated with good fun. Two Australian songs that immediately come to mind are:

Augathella Station, The Drover's Song or Brisbane Ladies (written as The Drover by storekeeper Saul Mendelsohn "after the model of "True British Sailors", between 1881 and 1897), which has this verse, in version based on AL Lloyd's rework:

Th girls of Toomancey, they look so entrancing,
Thos bawling young heifers are out for their fun!
With the waltz and the polka and all kinds of dancing,
To the racketty old banjo of Bob Anderson.

although most other versions mention: "the old concertina of (whoever comes to mind)" ... and

The Drover's Dream, a song, to the tune Killalloe, about a social gathering of the bush animals ... dreamed while said drover's mob of sheep all wander off! At one point:

Three frogs from out the swamp, where the atmosphere is damp,
Came bouncing in and sat upon some stones.
They each unrolled their swags, and produced from little bags,
The violin, the banjo and the bones.

There are a number of other passing references to banjos ... but they don't spring to mind immediately. I don't know of any songs in our tradition where the banjo is the principal subject.

Regards,

Bob