The Old Miners Of Wonthaggi Poem by Francis Duggan

The old miners of Wonthaggi they may look old and gray
And they may now walk slowly but they too had their day
When they worked down in the coalmine and every day seemed
long
But hard work never bothered them when they were young and
strong.

The old miners of Wonthaggi their weary bones may ache
But years ago they worked for hours and their spirits hard
to break
They earned every dollar they made and they slaved for every
pay
and they worked long hours and laboured hard and lived life
the hard way.

The old miners of Wonthaggi they can look back with pride
To when they led the miners strike their fame known far and
wide
They stood up to the Government and refused to back down
These were the men the heart and soul of old Wonthaggi Town.

Down in the treacherous mine shaft some of their comrades
died
Migrants and sons of migrants they laboured side by side
Their mateships transcended race and creed in the dark
underground
And when worker was in danger his work mates rallied round

They knew of the danger signals if rats were not about
The mine unsafe to work in 'twas time to scramble out
And they worked in bad conditions with danger ever near
And every day the coal miner came face to face with fear

Of the old miners of Wonthaggi the years keep taking toll
They once were the broad shouldered men who tunnelled deep
for coal
They earned every dollar they made and slaved for every pay
And they worked long hours and laboured hard and lived life
the hard way.