Orbost & District Historical Society
poem, Mallacoota
... poem - Edward Harrington - bush balladist - Mallacoota... Gippsland. poem - Edward Harrington - bush balladist - Mallacoota ...
The poem, "Mallacoota", as in this copy, does not appear to be noted in any of the lists of poems attributed to Henry Lawson.
NOTE: Information provided by David Williams on 13/12/2021 is that "this poem in your collection is by Edward Harrington (indeed not Lawson)".
Edward P Harrington (1895-1966) was born in Shepparton, served in Palestine in W W I with the 4th Light Horse Regiment, tried farming, but his lifelong passion was for story-telling through poetry. He is described as the 'last bush balladist' in Australia, and was a close friend of E J Brady and John Shaw Neilson. It was likely that he came to Mallacoota as a guest of E J Brady who had a camp for writers and poets there. He produced 5 collections of verse: Songs of War and Peace; Boundary Bend and Other Ballads; My Old Black Billy and other Songs of the Australian Outback; The Kerrigan Boys and other Australian Verses; and Swagless Swaggie and Other Ballads.His "Mallacoota" poem is printed in the Swagless Swaggie collection (1957).
https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/harrington-edward-philip-10431
Poetry associated with a place in East Gippsland. A copy of a printed poem titled "Mallacoota" with unknown author. It is pasted onto a cardboard backing. Although attributed to Henry Lawson in this printed copy, information is that it is by Edward Harrington.poem - edward harrington - bush balladist - mallacoota