You will see below our Principal Sharon MacDonnell has cleverly adapted the words to the poem "A bush christening" reflecting the christening of "Barcoo Bella". The image shows Matt and Luke enacting the poem.
A Bush Christening (with thanks to Banjo Paterson.)
On the upper Barcoo, where school kids are few,
And cows of colour are scanty.
On a road through the bush, known by kids and their folks
Tambo School had tracks a-plenty.
Now these kids were the hosts of a metre tall cow
Plump, healthy and well-conditioned.
She was strong as the best, but the kids had no rest
For the poor cow had never been christened.
The teachers all cried, “what if she should die
The meatworks would not recognise her.”
But by luck she survived till the competition decided
The name that they would baptise her.
Now the colourful cow, with sweat on her brow
To the conversation was closely listening.
And she trembled in fright, while her colours turned white
As she pondered “what the devil is christening?”
She was none of your dolts, she had seen them brand colts,
And it seemed to her small understanding.
If the man in the frock made her one of the flock,
It must mean something like branding.
She stood with a hush, as the school kids said with a rush
The suggested names as everyone listened.
“Barcoo Beast and Moo, and of course Bonnie Barcoo.
We’ll have to hold her still to be christened.”
“Now kids, make her stand, I’ve got the water at hand”
Said the priest with a mighty big yella
“Bonnie Barcoo; Barcoo Moo,” then the priest shouted whoa!
“Take your chance with Barcoo Bella.”
Now Barcoo Bella you see, has become a celebrity
And the thing she most hates to tell us
To be asked by the folk who have heard of the joke,
How she came to be called “Barcoo Bella.”
On the upper Barcoo, where school kids are few,
And cows of colour are scanty.
On a road through the bush, known by kids and their folks
Tambo School had tracks a-plenty.
Now these kids were the hosts of a metre tall cow
Plump, healthy and well-conditioned.
She was strong as the best, but the kids had no rest
For the poor cow had never been christened.
The teachers all cried, “what if she should die
The meatworks would not recognise her.”
But by luck she survived till the competition decided
The name that they would baptise her.
Now the colourful cow, with sweat on her brow
To the conversation was closely listening.
And she trembled in fright, while her colours turned white
As she pondered “what the devil is christening?”
She was none of your dolts, she had seen them brand colts,
And it seemed to her small understanding.
If the man in the frock made her one of the flock,
It must mean something like branding.
She stood with a hush, as the school kids said with a rush
The suggested names as everyone listened.
“Barcoo Beast and Moo, and of course Bonnie Barcoo.
We’ll have to hold her still to be christened.”
“Now kids, make her stand, I’ve got the water at hand”
Said the priest with a mighty big yella
“Bonnie Barcoo; Barcoo Moo,” then the priest shouted whoa!
“Take your chance with Barcoo Bella.”
Now Barcoo Bella you see, has become a celebrity
And the thing she most hates to tell us
To be asked by the folk who have heard of the joke,
How she came to be called “Barcoo Bella.”