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The Broken Down Squatter

from Drovers, Stockmen and Bullockies by The Queensland Tiger

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about

In the Great Shearers Strike of 1891, the shearers were opposed to the squatters, , but this poem is interesting because it gives the perspective of the extreme hardships faced by the squatters.
This poem first appeared in 1884 as “The Squatter’s Farewell” trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/23976029 and was published again, ten years later, in 1894, as “The Broken-Down Squatter “ . trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/20717729 Perhaps the crash of the banks in 1893 prompted this.
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It was written by Charles Augustus Flower. www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A2585 Born in Port Fairy, Victoria, he initially worked as a jackeroo before buying property in southern Queensland. He published many poems in ‘The Queenslander’ and ‘The Bulletin’, using the pen name “Anthos”. The author himself was ruined by drought when in 1902, he was forced to leave his property 'Durham Downs' on the Dawson River. Charles Augustus Flower died in Roma, Queensland in 1948.
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The poem was also published in Banjo Paterson’s “Old Bush Songs” (1905) www.australianculture.org/the-broken-down-squatter-1905/
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lyrics

The Broken Down Squatter
words by Charles Augustus Flower (1856 – 1948)
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Come, Stumpy, old man, we must shift while we can;
All your mates in the paddock are dead.
Let us wave our farewells to Glen Eva's sweet dells
And the hills where your lordship was bred ;
Together to roam from our drought-stricken home --
It’s tough that such things have to be,
And it's hard on a "hoss" to have nought for a boss
But a broken-down squatter like me !

For the banks are all broken, they say
And the merchants are all up a tree
When the bigwigs are brought to the bankruptcy court
What chance for a squatter like me ?

No more shall we muster the river for fats,
Nor spiel on the Fifteen-mile plain,
Nor rip through the scrub by the light of the moon,
Nor see the old stockyard again.
Leave the slip-panels down, it don't matter much now,
There’s none but the crows left to see,
Sitting gaunt on yon pine, as though longing to dine
On a broken-down squatter like me.

For the banks are all broken, they say
And the merchants are all up a tree
When the bigwigs are brought to the bankruptcy court
What chance for a squatter like me ?

When the country was cursed with the drought at its worst,
And the cattle were dying in scores,
Though down on my luck, I kept up my pluck,
Thinking justice might temper the laws.
But the farce has been played, and the Government aid
Ain't extended to squatters, old son;
When my money was spent . why they doubled the rent,
And resumed the best half of the run.

For the banks are all broken, they say
And the merchants are all up a tree
When the bigwigs are brought to the bankruptcy court
What chance for a squatter like me ?

'Twas done without reason, for leaving the season
No squatter can stand such a rub;
For it’s useless to squat, when the rents are so hot
You can't save the price of your grub;
There's not much to choose 'twixt the banks and the screws
Once a fellow gets put up a tree ;
No odds what I feel, there's no court of appeal
For a broken-down squatter like me.

For the banks are all broken, they say
And the merchants are all up a tree
When the bigwigs are brought to the bankruptcy court
What chance for a squatter like me ?

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credits

from Drovers, Stockmen and Bullockies, track released November 7, 2023
words by Charles Augustus Flower
Tune Traditional
violin by Mikhail Bugaev

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The Queensland Tiger

The Queensland Tiger covers traditional Australian ballads mainly from 19C.: e.g. Henry Lawson, Banjo Paterson, Breaker Morant, Charles Thatcher, etc…. true to the original works.
website : www.thequeenslandtiger.com or Youtube channel : The Queensland Tiger ... more

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