Beacons on a Map

Beacons on a Map

 

If you want to make a bluestone axe,

Go to Undarra, Uridalla or Ulladulla

Where the flint stones fly

And sit nice and dry

In a pleasant basalt cave

Near Bundoora  and Bundara

To dream of Bunda people

And the dances that they made

 

But when there is a “High in the Bite”

And the big souéasters roar

Past Perambulla and Merrimbulla

The spanish mackeral shoals by the score

Past the Coolangatta’s

One in either state

Offshore from the Barrattas

To meet a northern winter mate

 

Yet on the  rocky river beds of

Burrabogie, Burrum Heads and Burrumbuttock

The mullet run in schools

To the sandy mouth of Currumbin and Currumbean

Around the peninsulas at Metung and Meanjin

Away from the watery flats of Bing Bong and Bung Bong

 

Still further up the range

Between the mountains at Ghin Ghin and Gin Gin

You can see the coastal plain

From Toowoomba and Twimba

And lower down the hillsides of Towong, Tawonga and Toowong

While inland the westerly waters run

From Kuranda, Cowra and Cooma

The long way to the sea.

 

Before the outback sears your mind

At Menindee and Meningie

The quiet shallow lakes

Atop and bottom, of the Murray Darling drain.

Along the bendy river you call the Murrumbidgee

There are places like Murrumbool, Murrumburrah and Murrumbeena

So pick the bend that suits you at Arramong, Durrangong, Billabong, Bogolong, Mogongong, Bungalong, Tyagong  and Gooloogong

Before relaxing on the watery stretches of Corryong and Koetong

 

Or could you prefer

A mountain forest fair?

At Mongarlowe, Bungalowe or Buckendore

And the open pines of Kallangur and Kalingur

And if you seek meaning in this mish mash of words

Stand with me atop

A place in the world

Where the crisp air holds you

In a moment of its own

Where nature gives you rest

Before showing you its best

And a single little droplet

Joins the race with all the rest

Tumbling to Tarraleah

Powering through the penstocks

Tearing down Tungatinah

Sending lots and lots of volts

To power our homes unseen

 

Is there a moral to the story?

Just respect for those who came before

And the names they left us

So we can care

For what others might ignore