Kookaburra laughs while Matilda does a waltz`

It took me by surprise to learn that many of my American friends, were under the assumption a Kookaburra may well be a myth.

With this in mind, I thought I should do them all a favour, and share some real Australian heritage. Enjoy!

Even though Australia's National Anthem is "Advance Australia Fair", in 1974 it came very close to becoming "Waltzing Matilda". The latter a song written by our own Banjo Paterson.

Born Andrew Barton Paterson, in [Narrambla Station] near the NSW country town of Orange in 1864.

His earlier years spent near Yass, NSW he attended school in the small town of Binalong, then later in Sydney. Once working as a clerk for a lawyer, Banjo soon became a solicitor. The publication of The Man From Snowy River and Other Verses in 1895, saw him something of a literary celebrity in Australia. His travels took him all over the country, he was a correspondent during the Boer War in S.Africa, then later on became editor for the Sydney Evening newspaper,and the Australian Town and Country Journal. When the first world war broke out, Banjo had hoped to be right there, covering the battle but didnt make it to France, so returned home to Australia, joining the Remount Service which supplied the Australian cavalry with horses. After the War he returned to Sydney, journalism and writing poetry and prose. Paterson is best remembered as the the author of "Waltzing Matilda" - Australia's unofficial national anthem.

I was fascinated when I found out there have been 3 versions of this song, the original written by Banjo, Harry Nathan wrote his around the turn of the century and last, but not least, Marie Cowan's 1902 version. Hefre is the most popular sung by all 'aussies':-

Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong

Under the shade of a Coolibah tree

And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled

You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me

And he sang as he watched and waited til his billy boiled

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong

Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee

And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tuckerbag

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me

And he sang as he watched and waited til his billy boiled

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
Up rode the squatter mounted on his thoroughbred

Down came troopers one two three

Whose that jumbuck you've got in the tuckerbag?

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me

And he sang as he watched and waited til his billy boiled

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me
Up jumped the swagman and sprang into the billabong

You'll never catch me alive said he

And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong

You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

Slang terms explained:

Waltzing
walking along a bush track
Matilda
a bedroll
Swagman
an unemployed drifter
Billabong
Aboriginal word for a waterhole
Coolibah
Aboriginal word for a type of Australian tree
Billy
a tin with a wire handle used for boiling water and heating food
Jumbuck
Aboriginal word for sheep
Tucker Bag
bag containing food (tucker)
Squatter
a landowner
Troopers
Policemen

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The Kookaburra-This amazing bird is from the family of Kingfishers, having a stout[fat]yet compact body with a short neck, short legs and a rather long bill. I love this bird for so many reasons. Have you really listened to his laugh? They are known as the 'laughing jackass' of Australia.Appearance:
Kookaburras are 17 inches in height, the upper parts dark brown, the wings spotted gray-blue. A white band separates the head from the body. There is a dark stripe through the eye, and the under parts are white. The strong bill is black.
Kookaburras ican be found in woodland areas of eastern and south western Australia, through many suburban towns and various water outlets, such as beaches and lakes. Many zoos around the world have fallen in love with this little cutie, which is a great opportunity for the Kookaburra to share its laughter!
The Kookaburra's rolling, laughing call is one of the best-known sounds in the animal world. The birds raise a wild chorus of crazy laughter as they go to roost in the treetops at dusk, and again wake everyone within hearing just as dawn breaks, so regularly that in the hinterlands of Australia they are know as the "bushman's clock."
They're also handy to have around to keep any rats, mice or snakes away! The Kookaburra seizes snakes behind the head and kills them by dropping them from a height, or else carries them to a perch and batters them senseless with its big bill before swallowing them.
See the video here on Blog, and see why Australians treasure this quirky friend of the fauna!

http://debra2760.tripod.com/my_kookaburra.htm

Note: Steve [croc hunter] Irwin was just one huge fan, like me.