A song of a digger leaving the west coast of New Zealand for the Palmer River gold rush in North Queensland.

THE DIGGER'S FAREWELL
(Anon)

Well it's just as you say sir, I'm off once more
To the Palmer River, that's my way
I landed here in sixty-four
That's ten years' struggle along the Grey

Ten long years since I landed here
In a trackless land of wet and cold
Some of our lives were pretty severe
But who lacks hardship looking for gold?

Latterly gold has been hard to find
I've enough to carry me, none to spend
I'm going away and leaving behind
Not one deserving the name of friend

Now the gold was pretty near tuckered out
When Bill - that's me mate - he says to me
There's gold on the Palmer beyond all doubt
So here's for sailing out over the sea

There's the whistle - a drink before we part
'A step to the corner', I hear you say?
My last on the coast - with all my heart
A brandy straight and then I'm away

Here's a long farewell to the old West Coast
With a heart prepared for whatever I find
'Success to the Palmer' - is that your toast?
Mine's 'here's to the land I leave behind!'

The above version is as recorded by Phil Garland:

Youtube clip

Alan Musgrave recorded a slightly different version on his 'Behind The Times' album.

Ron Edwards collected a short song of this title from Frank Evans of North Queensland. In that one, the miner is leaving Bendigo.

--Stewie.