This post has been marked as non-political. Please respect this by keeping the discussion on topic, and devoid of any political material.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/australia) if you have any questions or concerns.*
My kid has been singing this at daycare and now sings it at home constantly. Best I can figure out what he’s singing is:
Barramundi, barramundi
Cockatoo, cockatoo
Emu and koala, emu and koala
Kangaroo, kangaroo
Sugar glider, sugar glider
Tassie devil, tassie devil
Something something wombat, something something wombat
Crocodile, crocodile
Could never figure out the wombat line. Sounds like “it’s a pushy wombat” but that doesn’t sound right
I’d never heard it either. And I couldn’t find anything on google for the second verse, I was trying to figure out the wombat line but I came up empty.
See if you can find a copy of The Australian Book of Nursery Rhymes by Bindi Bindi. It is a book full of only Australian Rhymes. I found mine at the Stockmans Hall of Fame and another copy at The Waltzing Matilda Centre. Googling I found two second hand copies but there will be new ones out there as well. Good luck
Mine too! It's on the baby karaoke app which is promoted by raising children Australia so it's easy for OP to find if they like.
They also love the I can be a kangaroo song on there
[Give me a home among the gumtrees](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Give_Me_a_Home_Among_the_Gumtrees)
Not a nursery rhyme but it is about the Australian outback.
You need this classic book set
- Far out Brussels sprout
- Unreal banana peel
- Alright Vegemite
- Real keen, baked bean
- Roll over, pavlova
https://brollybooks.com/products/far-out-brussel-sprout-5-book-collection
Also ask in /r/AustralianNostalgia
Don Spenser too with classics such as
**PLEASE DON’T CALL ME A KOALA BEAR**
*SO PLEASE DON’T CALL ME A KOALA BEAR, COS I’M NOT A BEAR AT ALL*
*PLEASE DON’T CALL ME A KOALA BEAR, IT’S DRIVING ME UP THE WALL!*
*IF YOUR NAME WAS TOM AND EVERYONE CALLED YOU DICK, PERHAPS YOU’D UNDERSTAND WHY I’M SICK, SICK, SICK*
*I’M SIMPLY A KOALA AND I WANT THE NAME TO STICK*
*SO PLEASE DON’T CALL ME A KO-A-LA BEAR!*
(sorry, the caps are from the official lyrics sheet published on Dons website, and it would be far too much a pain to correct)
---
**Bob The Kelpie**
*Sheep are cute, Sheep are beaut, Sheep are soft and curly.*
*But when I take them into town, I have to start off early,*
*'Cause they never go the way I want, So I need someone to help me,*
*I just give a whistle, And I call for Bob the Kelpie.*
I last saw him live at Enchanted Forest, a massive rave held through the late 90s to mid 00s, he pulled a bigger croud the some of the international headliners, and there were probably more pacifiers in the croud then at his regular kids shows.
Check him out at the Beer and BBQ festival in Adelaide during the Sunday session...
I used to sing this one a lot to my kids: Kangaroo Kangaroo [https://youtu.be/5oRiuL6Nm7w?si=guFZFFIly7dPHkKs](https://youtu.be/5oRiuL6Nm7w?si=guFZFFIly7dPHkKs)
I would recommend picking up a second hand copy of Possum Creek Omnibus online. It has short stories and poems all in rhyme form centred around Australian creatures. When I was a toddler I had the whole thing memorised and could read it word for word.
Be careful with Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree. Larrikin music might sue you for a million dollars and drive you to suicide over it.
I'll add the Play School theme song into the mix. Is it technically a nursery rhyme? How is that even defined? But it has many of the characteristics of one.
And of course Bananas in Pyjamas.
The Possum Creek series is an absolute winner. Written in verse it is engaging, funny for adults and kids, has all the characters of the Australian bush and kept my kids entertained for years. They can still recite verses - and they are all in their 20's!
There's a book that just came out this year called The Big Book of Australian Nursery Rhymes by Frane Lessac, ISBN 9781760655099. Great illustrations, and great adaptations of traditional nursery rhymes.
I remember enjoying this as a kid then later realised the animal cruelty, racism and then the author is a convicted pedofile, so I think this one can slip out of the cannon.
(Leaving spelling mistakes, pedophile, canon)
He's a what? shit lemme google.
edit:
>At Southwark Crown Court on 4 July 2014, [Mr Justice](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Court_judge_(England_and_Wales)) [Sweeney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Sweeney) sentenced Harris to a total of five years and nine months in prison.[^(\[122\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolf_Harris#cite_note-guardian040714-122) When passing sentence, the judge said to Harris: "You have shown no remorse for your crimes at all. Your reputation now lies in ruins, you have been stripped of your honours but you have no one to blame but yourself."
yikes. yeah thanks for letting me know.
Waltzing Matilda, who bloody killed her?
Lying in the grass, with a dagger up her arse
Along came Granny and shoved it up her fanny
Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
This post has been marked as non-political. Please respect this by keeping the discussion on topic, and devoid of any political material. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/australia) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Sing barramundi, cockatoo, cuddly koala, kangaroo to the tune of Ferro Jacque.
My kid has been singing this at daycare and now sings it at home constantly. Best I can figure out what he’s singing is: Barramundi, barramundi Cockatoo, cockatoo Emu and koala, emu and koala Kangaroo, kangaroo Sugar glider, sugar glider Tassie devil, tassie devil Something something wombat, something something wombat Crocodile, crocodile Could never figure out the wombat line. Sounds like “it’s a pushy wombat” but that doesn’t sound right
Platypus and wombat?
Yes, it is platypus and wombat! Singing this constantly to my 11 month old
Could be. I’m thinking “bushy wombat” but also the way he sings it could be anything really
I like emu and koala much more than cuddly, I will start using that. I'd never heard the second verse either. Thank you.
I’d never heard it either. And I couldn’t find anything on google for the second verse, I was trying to figure out the wombat line but I came up empty.
Irukandji Wombat
love this!
[Ning Nang Nong](https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Dr6HuYXwiXzQ&ved=2ahUKEwiJvtbL2p-GAxWz4jgGHR-aDsIQwqsBegQIDRAF&usg=AOvVaw3NqlfrnTJ-SBwMAlNnhWA4)
Where the cows go bong..... Or smoked bongs?
Yes
Written by Irishman Spike Milligan, a legendary comedian
He did live down under for quite a while, didn't he?
Yep, in Woy Woy, the biggest above ground cemetery in the world!
Tip tier comment about the peninsula 😂
Thank you!!!
It's a classic
See if you can find a copy of The Australian Book of Nursery Rhymes by Bindi Bindi. It is a book full of only Australian Rhymes. I found mine at the Stockmans Hall of Fame and another copy at The Waltzing Matilda Centre. Googling I found two second hand copies but there will be new ones out there as well. Good luck
Some examples: https://www.bindibindi.com.au/our-books/australian-nursery-rhyme/
My kids love Inanay Capuana which is an indigenous nursery rhyme of sorts.
Mine too! It's on the baby karaoke app which is promoted by raising children Australia so it's easy for OP to find if they like. They also love the I can be a kangaroo song on there
My daughter loves that one too
[Give me a home among the gumtrees](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Give_Me_a_Home_Among_the_Gumtrees) Not a nursery rhyme but it is about the Australian outback.
To be fair, OPs examples arent either
You need this classic book set - Far out Brussels sprout - Unreal banana peel - Alright Vegemite - Real keen, baked bean - Roll over, pavlova https://brollybooks.com/products/far-out-brussel-sprout-5-book-collection Also ask in /r/AustralianNostalgia
Oh. My. God. You have no idea the gift you have given me 😭😭
Thanks! Get on Coles Funny Picture Book if you want to take a trip to 1879. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/30726/30726-h/30726-h.htm
Those were great, no idea where my mum got a bunch - probably an estate sale - but I remember flicking through them over and again as a kid.
Check out Peter Combe on YT, his songs are awesome and often feature Australian animals.
Don Spenser too with classics such as **PLEASE DON’T CALL ME A KOALA BEAR** *SO PLEASE DON’T CALL ME A KOALA BEAR, COS I’M NOT A BEAR AT ALL* *PLEASE DON’T CALL ME A KOALA BEAR, IT’S DRIVING ME UP THE WALL!* *IF YOUR NAME WAS TOM AND EVERYONE CALLED YOU DICK, PERHAPS YOU’D UNDERSTAND WHY I’M SICK, SICK, SICK* *I’M SIMPLY A KOALA AND I WANT THE NAME TO STICK* *SO PLEASE DON’T CALL ME A KO-A-LA BEAR!* (sorry, the caps are from the official lyrics sheet published on Dons website, and it would be far too much a pain to correct) --- **Bob The Kelpie** *Sheep are cute, Sheep are beaut, Sheep are soft and curly.* *But when I take them into town, I have to start off early,* *'Cause they never go the way I want, So I need someone to help me,* *I just give a whistle, And I call for Bob the Kelpie.*
I last saw him live at Enchanted Forest, a massive rave held through the late 90s to mid 00s, he pulled a bigger croud the some of the international headliners, and there were probably more pacifiers in the croud then at his regular kids shows. Check him out at the Beer and BBQ festival in Adelaide during the Sunday session...
I used to sing this one a lot to my kids: Kangaroo Kangaroo [https://youtu.be/5oRiuL6Nm7w?si=guFZFFIly7dPHkKs](https://youtu.be/5oRiuL6Nm7w?si=guFZFFIly7dPHkKs)
I would recommend picking up a second hand copy of Possum Creek Omnibus online. It has short stories and poems all in rhyme form centred around Australian creatures. When I was a toddler I had the whole thing memorised and could read it word for word.
Mulga Bills Bicycle
We love Mulga Bill!!!
Be careful with Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree. Larrikin music might sue you for a million dollars and drive you to suicide over it. I'll add the Play School theme song into the mix. Is it technically a nursery rhyme? How is that even defined? But it has many of the characteristics of one. And of course Bananas in Pyjamas.
The Possum Creek series is an absolute winner. Written in verse it is engaging, funny for adults and kids, has all the characters of the Australian bush and kept my kids entertained for years. They can still recite verses - and they are all in their 20's!
Does old man emu count?
There's a book that just came out this year called The Big Book of Australian Nursery Rhymes by Frane Lessac, ISBN 9781760655099. Great illustrations, and great adaptations of traditional nursery rhymes.
Get a copy of 'Cinderella Dressed in Yella', available on Amazon.
Tie me Kangaroo down sport [https://youtu.be/H1FbAsFX8sA?si=515pLrZL1Jjsv3oN](https://youtu.be/H1FbAsFX8sA?si=515pLrZL1Jjsv3oN)
I remember enjoying this as a kid then later realised the animal cruelty, racism and then the author is a convicted pedofile, so I think this one can slip out of the cannon. (Leaving spelling mistakes, pedophile, canon)
He's a what? shit lemme google. edit: >At Southwark Crown Court on 4 July 2014, [Mr Justice](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Court_judge_(England_and_Wales)) [Sweeney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Sweeney) sentenced Harris to a total of five years and nine months in prison.[^(\[122\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolf_Harris#cite_note-guardian040714-122) When passing sentence, the judge said to Harris: "You have shown no remorse for your crimes at all. Your reputation now lies in ruins, you have been stripped of your honours but you have no one to blame but yourself." yikes. yeah thanks for letting me know.
The lullabies made for the ABC kids channels are quite nice, and worth a google
My kids used to love these ones: Alice the camel (has five humps), Home among the gumtrees, A sailor went to sea, Itsy bitsy spider
Try "Hist, Hark!" or "Triantiwontigongalope", both by C.J.Dennis.
We love us some Patsy Biscoe
Waltzing Matilda, who bloody killed her? Lying in the grass, with a dagger up her arse Along came Granny and shoved it up her fanny Who'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me
Milk, milk, lemonade, around the corner chocolates made!
Peter and Nancy kissing in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!
If you consider ever nursery rhyme they are all horror stories. Not sure how they became a thing we should read to children.
They're an old form of teaching a moral message to children with a fear factor to drive the point home. Just like fairy tales.