When first I left old Ireland's shores,
The yarns that we were told,
Of how folks in Australia,
Could pick up lumps of gold.

And gold dust lay in all the streets,
And miner's right were free,
"Hurrah," I told my loving friends,
That's just the place for me."

[Chorus]
With me swag all on my shoulder,
Black billy in my hand,
I travel the bush of Australia,
Like a true-born Irishman.

[Verse]
And first we reach Port Melbourne,
We were all prepared to slip
And bar and captain and me mate,
They all abandoned ship.

And all the girls of Melbourne town,
Threw up their arms with joy,
A woman exclaiming,
"Here comes my wild colonial boy"

[Chorus]
With me swag all on my shoulder,
Black billy in my hand,
I travel the bush of Australia,
Like a true-born Irishman.

[Verse]
We made our way into old Geelong,
The north to Ballarat,
Where some of us grew mighty thin,
And some grew sleek and fat.

Some tried their luck in Bendigo,
And some in Fiery Creek,
I made me fortune in a day,
And I blew it in a week.

[Chorus]
With me swag all on my shoulder,
Black billy in my hand,
I travel the bush of Australia,
Like a true-born Irishman.

[Verse]
For many a year I wandered round,
To each new field about,
And made and spent full many a pound,
Till alluvial petered out.

And then for any job I'd work,
I was prepared to try,
But now I found this tucker track,
I'll stay here till I die.

[Chorus]
With me swag all on my shoulder,
Black billy in my hand,
I travel the bush of Australia,
Like a true-born Irishman.

[Chorus]
With me swag all on my shoulder,
Black billy in my hand,
I travel the bush of Australia,
Like a true-born Irishman.