Australian Bush Poetry, Verse & Music

An Explorer's Tale

This is a true story about a couple of blokes I know who live near Bendigo. First heard down the pub one night, this progressed to a detailed interview with one of the participants to get all the details. The completed verse was first recited at Ray's 50th birthday party.

You've all heard of our great explorers
Leichardt, Burke and Wills
Of Sturt and Eyre and Flinders
They all had directional skills
But of modern day explorers
There's very little said
They still exist, they're out there
The spirit's not yet dead

Of two modern day explorers
A tale I'd like to tell
So history can record their exploits
And they'll be famous as well
It started back one January
On a 35 degree summers day
With our two intrepid explorers
Their names, John and Ray

While keeping cool with a slab of cans
And dicussing local events
Like the bloke building the house down the road
Which couldn't be seen from the fence
Then there was hatched the greatest idea
An exploratory trip to see
The big new house and all its surrounds
Just a matter of curiosity

Now trips like this require a plan
And careful consideration
In 5 minutes flat they were on their way
Full of excitement and anticipation
For attire they chose appropriately
Blundstones, shorts, Jackie Howe and a can
Supplies in an esky, a slab at least
For transport, the panel van

They discovered a track along the railway line
Which suited their purpose to view
The construction taking place on the block
While sharing a can or two
We'll continue down the track said Ray
And come out on the road further down
Then the heavens opened and dumped the rain
No way of turning around

With the rain so thick you could hardly see
They missed the turn to the right
Continuing on as adventurers do
Unaware of their worsening plight
A sudden stop, a flooded creek
The track it was no more
We'll have a can and figure this out
We've not been beaten before

Too boggy to back, too wet in front
When they had a brilliant idea
We'll drive the van across the tracks
And soon be out of here
So into gear and right hand down
All seemed to be going fine
Until the car would move no more
And they found they'd bridged the line

In pouring rain they heaved and pushed
But all to no avail
It wouldn't move, it just stuck fast
With the wheels bridging each rail
Now what to do, Ray looked around
And spied a piece of steel
Tied to a fence that crossed the creek
They'd use it to lever the wheels

Now to acquire the steel was a dangerous feat
So in the rain they paused to reflect
But it all went wrong and a mishap occurred
Ray in the creek up to his neck
The force of the water was running strong
Ray's screaming out to John
I can't bloody swim, get me out of here
For dear life to the fence he clung on

Well John saved his life, they got the pipe
And tried to move the car
But with not enough grunt and too many cans
The van didn't move too far
Then pausing to rest a moment or two
A dreaded sound came through the rain
The crossing bells, Ding, Ding, Ding
Oh no, a bloody train!!!

It could best be described as panic
Combined with an anxiety attack
A train to be stopped in the pouring rain
They headed in different directions along the track
Nothing came at Ray's end
So he decided to head on back
Approaching the car he was relieved to see
John coming from up the track

You stopped it eh John, a job well done
I've never been so worried in my life
No John said, I thought you had
Now they were really in strife
It was then they spied the steel pipe
Lying across the lines
Was what had set the ding dongs off
And caused the worrying time

A new plan now and John headed off
To run the 2 k home
And fetch the tractor to do the job
They couldn't do alone
On arrival he just stood panting
Wringing wet at the back door
"Car! Train! Tractor!" he screamed,
And headed off once more

The tractor did the job all right
But the track was too wet to drive
So with burst of brilliance, tractor with car in tow
Headed down the railway line
The crossing lights and bells still going
Both sides a line of traffic
And car occupants all aghast
As tractor and car headed off up the paddock

It was only about ten minutes later
That a train and forty carriages came through
But our intrepid explorers had avoided the worst
Avoided injury and rescued the van too
The police arrived to sort things out
And though they looked around
No people van or tractors
They'd all gone to ground

So this is the end of my story
Of heroes of the modern day
And we look forward to the next adventure
Of explorers John and Ray

Back To Top Of Page

Our currently featured poet is:-

Wayne Pantall

Wayne is the latest poet to have his work on the site. Read his poetry and book him for a performance! Click on his photo for access to his pages.