Her richest treasures with a lavish hand,
I'll tell thee of a spot where Nature sheds
Where, bright and soft, her Verdant mantle spreads
'Neath pleasant bowers, by softest breezes fann'd.
There, among graceful shrubs of varied green,
Tranquil and bright, the sunny waters glide,
And Flora's gems in glowing tints are seen,
Clinging in wreaths of beauty o'er the tide.
Beautiful river ! such a course as thine
Through ever-verdant scenes to wind along
Might well inspire far abler pens than mine
To pay the homage of a poet's song.
And on thy banks how sweet to those who roam
Each shady nook, where pleasantly combine
The modest comforts of the English home
With the rich products of a sunny clime.
Then grieve not, wanderers, for the land afar
That Island home, and dear ones far away,
But praise His name who led ye where ye are,
And He Will bless the homes of Moreton Bay.
'M.A,' North Brisbane. Moreton Bay Courier 11 May 1850, p3.