Kanangra Range, Kanangra-Boyd National Park

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Budthingeroo

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I could tell you a thing or two about Budthingeroo
About its mount, its bouldered ridge beyond
About its creek that carves through its lost ravine
All named after, Budthingeroo

About old Jimmy Whalan’s stock yards up on the wild Kanangra Range
Above where the Kowmung Cedars grew tall and the log moss grew thick
He’d well know how summer scorches its grassy woods
How its winters bite to the bone

Stunted yet happy Scribbly Gums thrive on the stoney soil
Holding on for dear life enduring the cold Oberon squalls

It’s much quieter these days up on Budthingeroo
The cedar men took their bounty
The cattle stockmen have long gone
The fires of ’29 took their toll of what was left of country
Now it’s wilderness of sorts across the Kanangra Range, cept for Rock Wallaby

Now it’s wilderness of sorts, cept for their escaped pigs and dogs
Or was Park’s Kanangra-Boyd just for thirsty Sydney, sterilised by cruel 1080?

A Sydney traveller can find the signs of the old colonial life
By passing through Luther and Budthingeroo
Past Whalan’s old paddocks, fences and greyed broken yards
And wonder ’bout the origin of Kanangra map’s many odd namings
A thousand stumps could tell you a thing or two about what happened at Budthingeroo.

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The cedar men took their bounty.  The cattle stockmen have gone.

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by Editor, first recited 20131124, at a breakfast camp near Box Creek on the Boyd Plateau, Kanangra-Boyd National Park.

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