the scars cannot be covered
eucalypts attempt their interment
through the years
their roots shifting soil – reclaiming broken bush
this was digger country
mostly Irish and Italians
come for gold
and punted to scrape
at these low-yielding hills
the ground reeks with memory
corpse-chimneys loom between the gums
and mumble about miners' rights
while myna birds nest within
tourist boards ascribe each dip in the landscape a name
Fight Gully, Italian Hill, Tubal Cain
Wilder than the wild west, one proclaims
with no recompense for times before
Be careful not to stray from the path
The area contains open shafts
Enjoyed this poem? Read Lachlan's article on the GoldfieldsTrack here.
Lachlan Robertson is a writer living in Trentham, Victoria, with interests in ecocriticism, fantasy fiction, and poetry. Lachlan is a keen beekeeper, hiker, and horse rider.
Banner image courtesy of S.T. Gill, sourced from the State Library of Victoria.