Memories Of Buninyong And The Crown Hotel Poem by Francis Duggan

We spent many happy evenings in the Buninyong Crown Hotel
And we laughed and we made merry as memory serves me well
And we spent our money freely and we drank our merry fill
And we left some of our wages in Ron and Heather's till.

I spent many happy evenings with those pipe line working boys
We drank our share more than our share and yet made little noise
Though the clothes we wore looked shabby our spirits always high
We drank hard and we worked hard and our throats were always dry.

Mick Kelleher and Bill Cunningham they paid our wages bill
They looked much like the rest of us they never 'dressed to kill'
And if one told you they were bosses of the pipeline working crew
I'd bet you'd not believe them you'd say it were untrue.

Murray Quick the kato driver well used of work and drink
He'd gulp a pot of liquor down as fast as one could blink
A true born native Aussie and full of Aussie pride
And were I to go to battle I'd like him on my side.

And Spud the joker Murphy for Wandin he play ball
Came as a babe to Aussie land from Devon in Cornwall
And now he's a true Aussie and truly a top bloke
He drink his share and laugh his share and tell the odd good joke.

And Brendan Glass the big man he hates to be called fat
He thought himself the slimmest man in all of Ballarat
But Brendan is a quiet sort he'd drink all day and night
And never ask for trouble nor never look for fight.

And little Jimmy Ellis the wild one of our pack
He'd been around Australia he'd been to hell and back
And Jimmy fancied Alison the girl behind the bar
And he swore that he could shift her if he only had a car.

Brian Chute the manhole builder a gun shearer from out west
Once shore two hundred sheep a day one of the very best
And his side kick Welshman Taffy who played football for North Star
Often times missed football training for to drink in Buninyong Bar.

The youngster of our party the lad with glasses Mark
We never did confide in him we kept him in the dark
He never done full session he'd go home with his Jean
And he could not understand us as to our ways he was green.

We had happy times in Buninyong and we laughed and drank our share
And the local people liked us and we felt quite welcome there
And we liked the Buninyong people we had high regard for them
And they'll recall in Buninyong those pipe line working men.

And we made good friends in Buninyong in the Buninyong Crown Hotel
And we got to know some locals and got to know them well
Old Nuffa would recite a poem and talk the whole night long
And Lal would tell the odd good joke and Jim would sing a song.

Young Turner and the Macker would tell the odd white lie
Of the Sheilas that they'd slept with and the ones they'd kissed goodbye
And Jose blond haired Jose she is one I won't forget
And the famed lollipop lady the delightful one Bernette.

Mick Henderson the truckie he used to talk so slow
But he was quite a good chap and one you'd like to know
And Ron the smiling publican the man who ran the show
He liked those pipe line workers they left him heaps of dough.

And the lovely hostess Heather with bright eyes and long blond hair
We'd not feel at home in the Crown if Heather weren't there
And Alison the barmaid so sensitive and shy
The lovely looking lady who caught James Ellis's eye.

And Bambi Bernette's husband and the Coxall fellow Ray
And Trevor humorous Trevor and Norm with hair of gray
And Arnold and old Skinny he was hardy in his day
In the Crown hotel in Buninyong there's good atmosphere alway

And Mike English the School teacher and Ross intellectual wise a millionaire
He could freely quote Will Shakespeare and the immortal Bard John Clare
And Charlie the football fanatic Aussie Rules number one fan
In the Crown Hotel in Buninyong you'll meet every type of man.

And Wilbur who plays the bingo cards he spends his money free
and Whykes the merry butcher often go on drinking spree
And the Crown Hotel in Buninyong more than a good memory
And those characters I've met there live in the heart of me.

And big Chris who loved to talk of Europe where he felt so much at home
And that friend of wild man Ellis the likeable young bones
And good old Graham Hanna he truly loves his beer
In the Crown Hotel in Buninyong there's good country atmosphere.

Little Roy and Bobby Harrington two good patrons at the Crown
And that bulky man Bull Holloway can sink those glasses down
And the quietly spoken one Billy he's coolness personified
it's the only pub in Buninyong and it's known both far and wide.

Jim of the Childrens hospital fund and that good lady his wife
To the cause of the good and needy they devote part of their life
You'll meet every type of person in the Buninyong Crown Hotel
All good and decent people as I remember well.

And there were many others I knew them by their face
Good hearted and kind people though their names I cannot place
But they always made you welcome and one always felt at home
In the Crown Hotel in Buninyong one never felt alone.

We had happy times in Buninyong and there made many a friend
Though good times don't last forever and all good times must end
But memories last a lifetime and the memories with me will stay
Of the Crown Hotel in Buninyong until my dying day