Waltzing Matilda to Banjo Paterson Cottage Restaurant

I was researching quotations for a talk about quotations (promoting my book Who Said What When) when I started searching for people associated with Australia Day. In a previous post I mentioned the statue of Captain Matthew Flinder and his cat on Euston station, London, England, showing the man who mapped Australia.

My next foray into research was on the origin of the song Waltzing Matilda, which was written by musician nicknamed 'Banjo' Paterson. The links included Banjo Paterson Cottage Restaurant in Australia, in the building where Banjo lived with his maternal grandmother.

The building was later sold so as fa as I can see there is little except the age of the building, now an Australian National Trust property, and the view. However, the restaurant website does tell you about the building and the history of the area. Reviews on Tripadvisor mention one of Banjo Paterson's poems on the menu cover and the words of 'Waltzing Matilda' and 'Clancy ...' framed on the walls. Some visitors rave about several nook rooms offering seclusion, the seasonal menus, including fish and soufflé. Others diners mention holding a wedding in the garden and views over the Looking Glass Bay and Parramatta river.

I shall certainly add it to my list of places to visit waltzing (which originally in the song would have been walking) in Australia.

What of the song which is known worldwide? You can read the history of it on Wikipedia.

Here's the watering hole by shade of the 'cooliba' or Eucalyptus tree. Combo Waterhole is a waterhole (billabong) on the Diamantina River at Kynuna, Queensland, Australia. You can't just drive up to it and take a quick I was there Selfie snap. From the car park it's a one and a half hour round trip walk. You are also advised to take water and sunscreen and insect repellent  and a blanket and a picnic and you can't camp there and only go in winter (UK summer time - remember seasons are reversed down under) because summers are too hot. What with the advice on the first aid kit and seven litres of water a day and the flooding, I think I'll head back to that nice Banjo Paterson restaurant and ask them to call the camps and the nearest smart hotel. However, if you really want the walking experience, and if you don't, check out the park on their website.

Here are the people supposedly in the song, the squatter or early settler or landowner, and three police officers, who chased the man who they held responsible for setting fire to a building and killing the sheep. The fugitive man supposedly shot himself at the bend in the river, rather than be captured. However, others claim that he was probably killed.

I listened to several versions of Waltzing Matilda and found that versions by the Seekers and Kylie Minogue were too slow. I like the jolly, strumming version by Slim Dusty listed below.


FACT LIST

Australia Day 26 Jan

Banjo Paterson (17 Feb 1864-5 Feb 1941)

Banjo Paterson Cottage Restaurant
http://www.banjopaterson.com

Combo Watering Hole
http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/combo-waterhole/about.html

Walting Matilda Centre tel: (07) 46571466  email
www.matildacentre.com

Waltzing Matilda Day
www.waltzingmatildaday.info

Waltzing Matilda Museum, Winton, Queensland, Australia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwvazMc5EfE Waltzing Matilda by Slim Dusty
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Angela's Waltzing Matilda Trail - places to visit

1 Banjo Paterson Cottage
2 Walzing Matilda Museum
3 River