Just an idea, though nothing new per se, on "South Australia", which we were discussing once here. I was saying how the song strikes me as "downhome," by which I mean it has the sort of musical style of Southern US music -- the shared tradition of country and popular music that seems to be mixed up with both "folk" music and minstrelsy.

John and I were both imagining hearing a hypothetical 'original' inspiration for South Australia in a Southern or other minstrel song.

http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=126347#2871899

Something like, "In Alabama I was born...amongst the cotton and the corn" -- which would be ripe for parody as "In South Australia I was born...South Australia 'round Cape Horn."

Anyways...before I forgot I just wanted to log in these (other) possibilities for inspiration.

In 1840s, NEGRO SINGER'S OWN BOOK had this version of

WALK JAWBONE, JENNY COME ALONG, IN COME SALLY WID DE BOOTEES ON

(A copyright song)
Sung by Jenkins, Hallet, Cool White and others.

Tune - first part of Cracovienne

In Caroline whar I was born,
I husk de wood, and I chop de corn
A roasted ear to de house I bring,
But de driver cotch me and he sing--
    Walk jawbone, Jenny come along
    In come Sally wide de bootees on,
    Walk jawbone, Jenny come along
    In come Sally wide de bootees on.

A version of "Old Pee Dee," in an 1847 collection, runs:

THE OLD PEE DEE.

In Souf Carolina whar I was born
I husk de wood, an chop de corn,
A roasted ear to de house I bring,
Den de driver kotch me an I sing.
    Ring de hoop, sound de horn,
    I neber seen de like since I was born,
    Way down in the counteree,
    Four or five miles from de ole Pee Dee,

http://books.google.com/books?id=yRkNAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA2-PA269&dq=%22like+since+i+wa

NEGRO SINGER'S also has a song called "Ole John Tyler," which appears to be a variation on "Old Dan Tucker" -- that tune is indicated.

In ole Virginny, whar I whar born
I eat hoe-cake an' hoe de corn;
And Massa Tyler, he not slow
To shew me how to hoe my row....

I am not suggesting that "South Australia" was necessarily a rewrite of any of these songs, just marking the prevalence of the opening line of "In X where I was born." Which, like I said, is nothing new...but it does help me place the feeling that the SA lyrics are "downhome" and not quite "South Australian"!