Resource Sheet 2

The labour crisis

A cartoon from The Bulletin, 16 August, 1890, titled 'The Labour Crisis'

Capital: “See here, my man, one of us must either go back, or else lie down and let the other walk over him. Now, which of us shall it be?”— (And that is more the question.)

The Bulletin, 16 August 1890, State Library of New South Wales.

Waltzing Matilda

(original version 1895)
by Andrew ‘Banjo’ Paterson

Oh there once was a swagman camped in the billabongs
Under the shade of a Coolibah tree
And he sang as he looked at the old billy boiling
Who’ll come a waltzing Matilda with me

Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda my darling
Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
Waltzing Matilda and leading a waterbag
Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me

Up came the jumbuck to drink at the waterhole
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him in glee
And he sang as he put him away in the tuckerbag
You’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me

Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda my darling
Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
Waltzing Matilda and leading a waterbag
Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me

Up came the squatter a-riding his thoroughbred
Up came policemen one two three
Whose is the jumbuck you’ve got in the tuckerbag?
You’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me

Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda my darling
Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
Waltzing Matilda and leading a waterbag
Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me

Up sprang the swagman and jumped in the waterhole
Drowning himself by the Coolibah
And his voice can be heard as it sings in the billabongs
Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

National Library of Australia

The swagman

A cartoon

Hall & Co, Hood Collection, State Library of New South Wales.