The Tune

The original version of ‘Waltzing Matilda' was written by Banjo Paterson to a tune played to him by Christina Macpherson in January 1895 at Dagworth station in Western Queensland.

The tune Christina played was ‘The Craigielee March' which was a variant of the Scottish song ‘Thou Bonnie Wood of Craigie-lea'.

The original air was re-arranged into ‘march time' for the military bands of the day by Thomas Bulch (originally Bulshey) an Englishman, born in Shildon, Durham in 1860. His band was called ‘Bulch's Model Band' until about 1900, when he handed it over to the city of Ballarat. Regrettably, Bulch received little credit for his involvement in our national song. Even more regrettable was the treatment he received during World War One, when he opened his music shop in Sydney Road, Brunswick. The locals referred to it as ‘The German's Music Shop' and vandalised his store because he displayed and sold band music, mostly printed in Leipzig, Germany, before the war began. Two of his sons fought at Gallipoli for Australia, one being killed in France shortly before the shop was destroyed.

Christina Macpherson heard the tune played at the ‘Warrnambool Grand Annual Steeple Race' meeting in April 1894.

The official band for the day was the ‘Warrnambool Garrison Artillery Band'.

‘The Craigielee March' was the designated march tune, printed on the official band-card for the race meeting.

The tune was popular in the local area and stayed in the repertoire of the Warrnambool Band for many years. The band often played on:

...a clear expanse of sand at the mouth of the Merri River ... Public picnic parties are periodically organised on the weekly half-holiday - Thursday afternoon - and on these occasions hundreds of the residents and their families may be seen listening to the strains of the band and participating in the pleasures incidental to such enjoyable outdoor gatherings.