The Man from Snowy River: how he became an Australian cultural icon

Banjo Paterson was a renowned Australian poet and journalist who wrote prolifically in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In 1890, he published "The Man from Snowy River" in The Bulletin, a popular Australian newspaper.

The poem tells the story of a group of stockmen who are trying to recapture a herd of wild horses that have run off into the mountains.

In the tale, they are unable to catch the horses, but the horses run down a steep mountain slope and where the men are unable to follow them.

But a young man from Snowy River, who is unnamed in the poem, volunteers to take on the dangerous task of following the horses down the mountain to get them back.

Against all odds, and to the shock of the other men, he is successful in recapturing the horses, and the poem ends with the famous lines:

"The man from Snowy River is a household word to-day,

And the stockmen tell the story of his ride."

However, it is the opening stanza which many Australians can still quote word-for-word:

"There was movement at the station, for the word had passed around,

That the colt from Old Regret had got away,

And had joined the wild bush horses — he was worth a thousand pound,

So all the cracks had gathered to the fray."

The poem was an immediate success and struck a chord with Australians who admired the man's bravery and tenacity.

It appears that Australia identified with the main character and saw in him a reflection of what Australians wanted to believe about themselves.

They believed that they had, at their core, the same spirit of bravery and resilience that is celebrated in the poem.

The story of "The Man from Snowy River" has since been adapted into numerous forms, including films, television shows, and stage productions.

The 1982 film adaptation directed by George Miller was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $17 million at the box office and winning several awards.

The film's iconic horse-riding scenes were shot in the stunning mountain landscapes of Victoria, further cementing the poem's connection to Australia's rugged natural beauty.

In 1988, the poem was even featured on a commemorative $10 banknote, further solidifying its place in Australian cultural heritage.