In early days in times of drought, no feed for stock
system of tracks evolved called "The long paddock"
stretches from Far-North Queensland to Victoria in south
feeding many a farmer's stock their hungry mouth
The use of the long paddock is rapidly declining
our native animals' sun has once again began shining
researchers put"harps" along these grazing tracks
wanting to know what, where, how wildlife is coming back
No more hiding from bleating , dumb woolly choppers
many a bird said to catch now insects and grasshoppers
those beasts with those nasty horns no more using this patch
more now for us, said the kangaroos to the wombats
Small birds, bats, about those harps they don't sing
we fly into them, hard to see, damaging our wing
we do try to fly either higher or really very low
otherwise for us the long paddock is now a no-no
The main reason for the long paddocks decimation
road trains, quicker, faster transport to new vegetation
in times of devastating floods, fires, long- term drought
not many farmers, their cattle or sheep, get caught
Road trains, along highways, byways, by day and night
putting legends of drovers and swagman to flight
no more boiling of the billy, damper, stew, campfire
forcing many of these colourful characters to retire
Yet another chapter in Aussie folklore, heritage is lost
in age of computers, mighty dollar, the high cost
it is sad, incomprehensible, perhaps a twist of fate
Pitt Street farmers say " Prosper or perish mate"
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