Waltzing Matilda

dramatic · poetic · historical · atmospheric

Genres

What is Waltzing Matilda about?

On a hot Australian afternoon, a travelling swagman camps beside a billabong and steals a sheep for his meal. But when troopers arrive to arrest him, he faces an impossible choice: surrender his freedom or disappear beneath the water. Through vivid illustrations and Banjo Paterson’s famous ballad, this picture book brings the legendary story to life while revealing the real history of outback travel, sheep stations and shearers’ struggles in nineteenth-century Australia.

About the author

Andrew Barton Paterson, often known as Banjo Paterson, was a much-loved Australian poet and writer. He enjoyed writing lively poems about the countryside, horses and adventurous people. His best-known works include The Man from Snowy River and the song Waltzing Matilda, which is famous around the world. Paterson’s stories and poems help readers imagine the wide Australian bush, exciting journeys and colourful characters. His cheerful, musical writing continues to entertain children and adults today.