End Of The Canning Stock Route

G
The camp gear’s in the store room, all the packs are in the shed
C                                     G
With the dust of seven summers on their hide
G
Saddle straps are hard and brittle stirrup irons are rusty red
       A7                                            D
For the canning stock route finished when wally dowling died
        G
No more cattle travel southward thro the spinifex and sand
C                                      G
All the wells are falling in along the track
                      B7              C
Now the cannings but a legend just a lonely desert land
               G             D           G
And it’s doubtful if the munjongs want it back

[Verse]

G
Eight hundred miles of sandhills now and then a sandstone ridge
C                                            G
With a salt lake here and there with samphire flat
G
An oasis in the desert you can find at durba springs
A7                             D
Bubbling, running water it’s a fact
         G
But unless you own a camel  you could never travel there
C                                          G
And a horse would fail now the wells have fallen in
                      B7                          C
For the sandhills on the canning, reach a hundred feet or more
           G             D               G
And it’s certain that no car could take you in

[Verse]

G
The famous never never and the place they call outback
C                                G
Two elusive lands that few men ever found
G
Are located on the canning down that lonely desert track
      A7                                             D
Where to be this very moment would be worth a thousand pound
    G
To be with wally dowling, whipping water from the well
C                                             G
While the stockmen hold the mob back from the trough
            B7                                C
Stop the thirsty bullocks trampling in their great desire to drink
  G                   D                 G
Just to do one trip would suit me well enough

[Verse]

G
But my wish is just a daydream which can never be fulfilled
C                                   G
For when wally died the stock route had its day
G
Now the billiluna cattle are travelling down to broome
      A7                                              D
In a roaring diesel road train to the meat works by the bay
G
And the tick line stops the others  every station in the north
C                                G
No one may use the canning if he would
                            B7              C
So they truck their beef to wyndham and sell for what its worth
  G                      D              G
And i doubt they’d use the canning if they could

[Verse]

G
It’s really had its day now and won’t be used again
C                                        G
No more drovers horse bells ringin will be heard
G
For a cattle loaded road train smothered in its diesel fumes
  A7                              D
Now struggles up the rise in lower third
G
When i travel up the canning i am sure to be alone
C                                   G
With my camels and some thoughts of yesterday
                            B7                   C
They will take me slowly northward till at last the trip is done
  G                      D                 G
And find contentment when i’ve stowed the packs away
G
The camp gear’s in the store room, all the packs are in the shed
C                                  G
With the dust of seven summers on their hide
G
Saddle straps are hard and brittle stirrup irons are rusty red
       A7                              C        D       G
For the canning stock route finished when wally dowling died