The Maranoa Drovers
Published in The Queenslander in 1894, with lyrics attributed to A. W. Davis.
---------------------------------------------
[ V.1 ]

Oh, the night is dark and stormy and the sky is clouded o'er,
Our horses we will mount and ride away,
To watch the squatter's cattle through the darkness of the night
And we'll keep them on the camp till break of day.

--------------------------------------------------------------
[ CHORUS ]

Cos we're going, going, going to Gunnedah so far,
We’ll soon be into sunny New South Wales.
And we'll bid farewell to Queensland with its swampy coolibah
Happy drovers from the sandy Maranoa.
-------------------------------------------------------------
[ V.2 ]

With our fires burning bright through the darkness of the night,
And the cattle keeping quiet, well, I'm sure
That I wish for two o'clock, when I call the other watch -
This is droving on the sandy Maranoa.

[ V.3 ]
With our beds made on the ground we are sleeping oh so sound,
When we're wakened by the distant thunder's roar,
And the lightning's vivid flash followed by an awful crash -
This is droving on the sandy Maranoa.
------------------------------------------------------
[ CHORUS ]
-------------------------------------------------
[ V.4 ]

We're up at break of day and we' soon be on our way,
We always have to go ten miles or more.
But it don't do to loaf about for the squatter will come out -
He's rough on drovers from the Maranoa.

[ V.5 ]

We'll soon be on the Moonie and we'll cross the Barwon too,
Then out upon the rolling plains once more.
Then we'll shout, “Hurrah for Qld.” and its swampy coolibah,
And the cattle that come off the Maranoa.
------------------------------------------------------

[ FINAL CHORUS ]

Cos we're coming, coming, coming from Gunnedah so far, We'll soon be out of sunny New South Wales. And we'll say “hello” to Queensland with its swampy coolibah
Happy drovers from the sandy Maranoa.

======================================