The River that Built a Town

Verse 1 Down where the red gums lean to drink, And the morning fog hangs low, The river hums an ancient tune Only the old hands know. Before the wharf, before the steam, Before the horses found this ground, It was just the Murray rolling on — The river that built a town. Chorus Roll on, roll on, wide brown water, Carry the stories down, From the quiet banks to the bustling port, You’re the river that built a town. Verse 2 Then came the boats with their wheels of wood, Churning the dawn to white, Whistles calling through the gums Like magpies greeting light. Wool on the decks, sweat on the ropes, Hope in every sound — The river opened up the land, And the river built a town. Chorus Roll on, roll on, wide brown water, Carry the stories down, From the quiet banks to the bustling port, You’re the river that built a town. Bridge She’s seen the droughts, she’s seen the floods, She’s carried dreams and fears, She’s held the hands of working folk For more than a hundred years. And even now, when the steam runs thin, You can hear her if you listen down — The heartbeat under Echuca’s streets, The river that built a town. Final Chorus Roll on, roll on, wide brown water, Carry the stories down, From the quiet banks to the bustling port, You’re the river that built a town. Outro Before the wharf, before the steam, Before the world came round… There was the Murray, rolling on — The river that built a town.