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Song Of Australia

Written by English-born poet Caroline J. Carleton 1859 The music for the song was composed by Carl Linger (1810-1862) The Song of Australia was the result of a competition sponsored by the Gawler Institute in 1859

THE SONG OF AUSTRALIA

There is a land where summer skies
blending in witching harmony, in harmony
Are gleaming with a thousand eyes,
And grassy knoll, and forest height,
Are flushing in the rosy light,
And all above in azure bright -
Australia!

There is a land where honey flows,
Where laughing corn luxuriant grows,
Land of the myrtle and the rose,
On hill and plain the clust'ring vine,
Is gushing out with purple wine,
And cups are quaffed to thee and thine -
Australia!

There is a land where treasures shine
Deep in the dark unfathomed mine,
For worshippers at Mammon's shrine,
Where gold lies hid, and rubies gleam,
And fabled wealth no more doth seem
The idle fancy of a dream -
Australia!

There is a land where homesteads peep
From sunny plain and woodland steep,
And love and joy bright vigils keep,
Where the glad voice of childish glee
Is mingling with the melody
For nature's hidden minstrelsy -
Australia!

There is a land where, floating free,
From mountain top to girdling sea,
A proud flag waves exultingly,
And freedom's sons the banner bear,
No shackled slave can breathe the air,
Fairest of Britain's daughters fair -
Australia!