A visit to the last museum for our stay in Gulgong is the Henry Lawson Centre, Phill chats with Joan as she takes us through the history of his life. Once again this museum like all the others are run by volunteers.
Henry Lawson was one of the best known Australian writer. His poetry is still widely quoted. Most of his works are still in print. His images are those most often used by Australians to depict the kind of country they admire. Henry Archibald Hertzberg Lawson (17 June 1867 – 2 September 1922) was an Australian writer and bush poet.
The Henry Lawson Centre is a museum dedicated to Lawson’s life and literary works, and to the family, friends, literary characters and places that filled his years with a display of photos, oil paintings and prints, first edition books, manuscripts and much more.
The Henry Lawson Centre takes the visitor through the phases of the writer’s life, from his birth in 1867 to his death in 1922, through a series of illustrated wall displays. These pay special attention to Lawson’s concerns and his influence on the affairs of the day: justice for workers, the republic, the plight of the poor, and the emancipation of women.
Below is a poem by Henry Lawson
39 by Henry Lawson
I only woke this morning
To find the world is fair-
I’m going on for forty,
With scarcely one grey hair;
I’m going on for forty,
Where man’s strong life begins,
With scarce a sign of crows’ feet,
In spite of all my sins.
Then here’s the living Forties!
The Forties! The Forties!
Then here’s the living Forties!
We’re good for ten years more.
The teens were black and bitter,
A smothered boyhood’s grave-
A farm-drudge in the drought-time,
A weary workshop slave.
But twenty years have laid them,
And all the world is fair-
We’ll find time in the Forties,
To have some boyhood there.
Then here’s the wide, free Forties-
The Forties! The Forties!
Then here’s the wide, free Forties!
We’re good for ten years more!
The twenties they were noble,
The bravest years, I think;
‘Twas man to man in trouble,
In working and in drink;
‘Twas man to man in fighting,
For money or for praise.
And we’ll find in the Forties
Some more Bohemian days.
Then here’s the wiser Forties!
The Forties! The Forties!
Then here’s the wiser Forties!
We’re good for ten years more.
The thirties were the fate years;
I fought behind the scenes.
The thirties were more cruel
And blacker than the teens;
I held them not but bore them-
They were no years of mine;
But they are going from me,
For I am thirty-nine.
So here’s the stronger Forties!
The Forties! The Forties!
And here’s the good old Forties!
We’re good for ten years more.
We continue our regular catch ups with Jeff DeAth, Jeff this week talks us through the question asked by caravanners, do I travel with my water tanks full or not. Listen to what he has to say. Also follow Check Weight on Facebook.https://checkweight.com.au
We are still in Gulgong, and if you have not been its a lovely town in New South Wales about 30km north of Mudgee. We park up at the showground and no sooner drive in and we are met by Highway Dave. I had read about him on Wiki Camps so knew he was there and what a character he is. Great smile, friendly greeting, lets you park where ever you would like. There is parking for both powered and unpowered, water. Clean amenities and well maintained grass areas. Bins everywhere.
Dave chats to Phill about what he does, where he has been and how he got the name Highway Dave.
Sadly now Dave has moved on, so Gulgongs loss is another towns gain.
