The story behind the book

Over the last one hundred years many people have alluded to Banjo Paterson's love affair with Christina Macpherson at the time ‘Waltzing Matilda' was written. But this was not the only factor in the creation of Australia's unofficial national anthem, which was also a product of violent conflict during the 1894 shearers' strike.

‘Waltzing Matilda' has two clearly defined parts, a chorus and verses, equally encompassing two very different stories and emotions. Both parts of the song were a carefree response by Andrew Barton (Banjo) Paterson to much deeper, more complicated events surrounding his life at the time of writing.

The chorus is undoubtedly, quite simply, a love song, inspired by Paterson's love affair with Christina Macpherson. Unfortunately for Banjo, his fiancée of eight years, Sarah Riley, Christina's friend, was present in the house at the same time. This affair ended in humiliation and embarrassment for all involved, leading Paterson to distance himself from the writing of ‘Waltzing Matilda', and anything connecting him to the song or to events at Dagworth station where the song was written.

The verses are drawn from specific events that occurred during the 1894 shearers' strike. In fact, without a series of volatile and turbulent events occurring during that particular strike, ‘Waltzing Matilda' would never have been written. This series of events culminated in the alleged suicide of Samuel Hoffmeister (the swagman) beside the four-mile billabong near Kynuna. But, did Hoffmeister shoot himself or was his death one of the biggest cover-ups in Australian history?

The facts surrounding "Waltzing Matilda" take it from a frivolous ditty, to a ballad based on immense social and political significance.

Waltzing Matilda' is truly one of the world's greatest folk-songs.

Waltzing Matilda was originally written in Western Queensland during January of 1895 by Banjo Paterson and Christina Macpherson. During which time Banjo and Christina became romantically involved resulting in Paterson breaking off his engagement with Sarah Riley. (Christina’s friend)

Whilst the burning down of the Dagworth shed and the death of Hoffmeister were incidents which prompted Paterson to write ‘Waltzing Matilda', he did not simply stumble on an isolated incident on a remote little billabong in western Queensland.

Banjo Paterson was living in Sydney during 1894 and like many other people in capital cities along the east coast of Australia would have thought the shearers' strike in the back-country was verging on civil war. During the weeks preceding the incident at Dagworth station, Sydney newspapers were awash with headlines of violence and arson occurring daily in the back country.

Then he finds himself at Dagworth station, where the shearing shed was burnt down in a violent gun battle, one hundred and forty sheep were burnt to death, a swagman was found dead by a billabong by the squatter and three policemen, and a possible cover up of the swagman's death by verdict of suicide.

There and then, he writes a song about a dead sheep, a swagman, a squatter, three policemen and an unexplained suicide. Surely it is not too much to think Paterson, the poet, solicitor and social commentator, used these events to write the verses of ‘Waltzing Matilda'. It's absurd to think anything else.

And at Dagworth station, amidst this turmoil of one of Australia's most volatile socio-political confrontations, Banjo Paterson fell in love with the young and attractive Christina Macpherson, a woman he could not have. She played for him a ‘catchy provocative whimsical tune', arousing his creative senses.

And ... Australia's unofficial national anthem was conceived. ‘Waltzing Matilda'!

And his ghost may be heard.