I've seen the struggle of the daring ones Seen the work wrought with calloused hands Seen a world that clung so desperately In days that now have pa**ed I've seen the rusting iron once so proud Seen the fields they cleared tree by tree Seen the remnants of their industry In days that now have pa**ed All that's gone before us seems so easily forgotten The sweat that dripped on dusty soil's Remembered by so few But women, men and children died To open up the countryside It seems as if their memory is fading from our view They saw their houses built stone by stone They saw their families watch hungrily They saw the rains come and thanked the Lord In days that now have pa**ed They saw the tracks they came by turn to roads They saw the traders come and watched towns grow They saw the railway open up the land In days that now have pa**ed All that's gone before us seems so easily forgotten The sweat that dripped on dusty soil's Remembered by so few But women, men and children died To open up the countryside It seems as if their memory is fading from our view I see the semis on the asphalt road I see the comfort of the pa**ing cars I see them speeding past the outskirts of The days that now have pa**ed I see the local people watch the change I see their lives reflect what's gone before I see them as perhaps the final link To the days that now have pa**ed All that's gone before us seems so easily forgotten The sweat that dripped on dusty soil's Remembered by so few But women, men and children died To open up the countryside It seems as if their memory is fading from our view