A boat trip along the Darling shows off the old river gums and many of the river properties that still have piles of wood cut for the paddleboats. The wood was cut by itinerant workers who wandered up and down the river cutting the fuel for the river transport.

The steamers burnt about a ton an hour, for which the timber cutters were paid about two bob. The going rate was a florin for a lineal measurement of cut timber known as a 'chord'.The men would pile the timber and leave with it a small leather pouch with their details inside. The paddle boats would stop and collect the fuel and the purses along the way and at the next port, would leave the purses with their pay inside for collection. In this way, the 'gumcutters' had a steady stream of credit whenever they reached the next town.

Gumcutters

Two bob a ton boys , a florin for a chord
Lets carve a course for the township of Louth
These old River Red Gums are fuel for the fire
That carries a granite stone from the Murray mouth

Two bob a ton boys, the old Jane Eliza
Is racing a river that drops by the day
One ton an hour boys, that's what she's burning
If she reaches Louth boy's we'll all get our pay

Here she is now boys, the whistle's the warning
Look here's the swell that breaks from her bough
She carries a stone to a family in mourning
There's work up the river for gumcutters now

Lets ride a day boys to old Curanyulpa
That boats got our purses for timber within
If she clears the sandbar at old Curanyulpa
We'll be drinking our pay next week at Shindys Inn

These River Red gums are scarred from our axes
This lazy river runs full with our sweat
We'll follow the wake of the old Jane Eliza
Our toil will turn us to wealthy men yet

Pack up your swag boys there'll be no more drinking
The Darling falls faster than the axe in your hand
Our purses lie empty in the old Jane Eliza
The old Jane Eliza she sleeps in the sand

©2002. Words and Music, Andrew Hull and Tonchi Macintosh

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