Christina's Matilda

'Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda,

Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me?'


Everyone knows the words.


Many people know that the Australian poet 'Banjo' Paterson wrote them.


But how may people know the origin of the tune?


In 1895 a young woman named Christina Macpherson sat down and played a marching tune she'd heard. 'Banjo' Paterson, who was visiting Christina's brother, liked it and wrote the words of a song to it. That song was 'Waltzing Matilda'.


'Banjo' became famous, and so did 'Waltzing Matilda'. But Christina's part in the song's creation was forgotten and she disappeared from history until the 1970s.


Come a-waltzing with Christina now and discover her story – beginning in the first year of her life, when she encountered the ruthless bushranger Dan Morgan...


Edel Wignell is interested in history and folklore. Her first two collections were: A Boggle of Bunyips (1981) and A Bluey of Swaggies (1985).


In the last chapter of A Bluey of Swaggies, Edel told the story of the creation of the song 'Waltzing Matilda', and included Christina Macpherson who provided the tune. Luckily, in 2002, Edel met Diana Baillieu, a great-niece of Christina, who generously shared information and photographs from the Macpherson Archive.


See Edel's website: www.edelwignell.com for more information on the research and writing of this book.


Edel (the name rhymes with 'medal') is a freelance writer, compiler, journalist and poet who writes for both children and adults. She has more than 90 published books, the latest being the picture-stories Long Live Us! (Interactive Publications) and Bilby Secrets (Walker Books Australia).


Elizabeth Botté works long hours in her Melbourne studio, her eyes engrossed in the world of illustration, and her ears enthralled by lectures and talks from the world's wisest, together with a good dose of Radio National.


Once predominantly a painter, Elizabeth has now been lured to the wonderous realm of digital illustration. She produces work for film and tv, children's games, graphic design and visualisation projects, and the odd community mural.

The illustrator of over 25 titles including The Giggle Gum Tree (IP Kidz) Green Stuff For Kids (MUP) and the Touché schoolbook series (Pearson). Also she was an Extensive Reading Foundation awards finalist in 2008 and 2009.