Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis - Echuca lyrics

With wood and wool for Adelaide The paddle boats came down When here this spritely river maid Built up her river town. Flanked by the green of spreading gums, Where trade in waxing volume comes Her industry to crown. Those were the careless, easy days The days of old romance, When men were prone to casual ways, But she had marked her chance, As gateway of the north and east, To share one day the coming feast Of this wide land's advance. Now she, grown old in count of years, Stays young, who dreams her fate Is to arise above her peers And serve a sister State, Handmaid of kindlier kinship when Madness and folly fall from men And they, with towns, grow great. The paddle boats, with wool and wood, Churned lazily along When peace seemed sure, when life seemed good, Ere all a world went wrong. Strife wells; yet, valiant as of yore Old Murray sings without her door Of hope an ageless song.