TheBanyanTree: Thoughts from the Flinders Ranges

[Peter Macinnis]

Today is Australian national Flag Day, and we have just come down out of 
central Australia, through the (for once) prosperous farming belt to 
Adelaide.  It's raining now as I sit at the airport, waiting for a plane 
home, and there are floods predicted for the deserts north of here where 
we raised dust last week.  Life is green in these parts, though it may 
soon be mud-coloured.

There is an old and raucous Australian anthem:

This here is the wattle,
The symbol of our land:
You can stick it in a bottle,
You can hold it in your hand.

This needs to be recited in Ocker tones (a bit like Paul Hogan, only not 
so refined) by a group of drunken Australians, but while green and gold 
are still our national colours, we need an update.  Here is my best 
shot, with thanks to Chris who suggested the last line.

This here is Canola,
The symbol of our land:
You can eat it with Granola,
But you'll get an oily hand.

When we find out who is to be Prime Minister, I plan to submit it.

peter