From The Gold Coast Mountains Across Northern New South Wales Poem by Francis Duggan

From the hills above the Gold Coast the steep mountain road twists down
Through lush green flat lands and cane fields on through Murwillumbah Town
On through the Town of Mullumbimby through banana plantation
country
on the mountain road to Rosebank green high woods for miles you see.

We were in much flatter country as we drove down towards Lismore
Stopped in that Town for a coffee left there around ten to four
From Lismore on the scenery changes miles of paddocks looking gray
And from Casino to Mallanganee and Tabulam up and down hill all the way.

It was dark the road seemed steeper beyond the Township of Drake
And I drove on down towards Tenterfield with my foot close to the brake
It is easier and safer to drive in the broad daylight
And at Tenterfield we stopped for supper and booked a room for the night

The next morning after breakfast on a pleasant April day
Through Deepwater through Glen Innes on the New England highway
Called to that park in Glen Innes to view work of sculptor hands
Stones not unlike the Celts built in historic foreign Lands.

We stopped to fossick for sapphires twenty K's from Inverell
Janice found a little beauty and she gave a happy yell
Paid five dollars for the privilege for a half an hour of toil
Found one hundred dollars worth of sapphire made it all seem so worth while.

Stopped at Inverell for an hour it was quarter after five
Through Delungra in the twilight towards Warialdi we did drive
Reached Warialdi after nightfall and after counter lunch and beer
Thought we'd travel on no further we would stay overnight here.

It was raining in the morning as we headed towards Moree
Through a big and wide brown country miles of open space to see
Though with not many trees to perch on bird life here did not seem rare
Cockatiels and galahs fed on spilt grain by the roadside here and there.

From Moree towards Collarenebri through brown Land of many trees
It was raining fairly constant there was scarcely any breeze
This a Land wealthy in wildlife birds in plenty to be seen
To look beautiful the landscape need not necessarily look green.

In Collarenebri we stopped for coffee then we drove towards Lightning Ridge
Towards the famous Town of opals over man a creek bridge
On through miles of blackened country where the bushfires had been through
And every few miles a motoring victim the remains of kangaroo.

We reached Lightning Ridge the opal Town before twilight after five
Feeling weary from our travels we had been on a long drive
We had driven from south Queensland mountains across northern New South Wales
Those who tell of the big country are not merely telling tales.