Valley of legends still inspires

We love a good yarn, write a good tune and have history books full of local characters. 

Yes, the richness of the Lachlan Valley’s resources is matched by the richness of its legends.

It’s the sort of place that fascinates professor of folklore Graham Seal from Curtin University of Technology in Western Australia.

Prof Seal visited Forbes late last year to see local sights including the site of Ben Hall’s shooting and the grave of Kate Kelly.

But he had already heard a lot about this place. 

As a folklorist, he has studied the songs, poetry and yarns inspired by the bushrangers, shearers and rogues of Forbes and the Lachlan.

From the gold rush to the golden age of wool, the Lachlan inspired the writings of Henry Lawson, Banjo Patterson, Breaker Morant, William Ogilvie and Paul Wenz.

None touched the commoner, however, quite the way bushranger Ben Hall did.

Prof Seal says there are more songs written about Ben Hall than any other bushranger and they are still renowned. 

“The Lachlan is the land of legend, so many things have happened here since settlement,” Prof Seal said.

“There’s quite a rich mix that makes that area unique. It’s a very rich area in Australia’s cultural heritage.”

The question for Professor Seal, who also works in regional development, is what to do with this rich history?

“If it is not documented we lose an important part of the common experience of our past and the present,” Prof Seal said.

“Packaging and presenting folklore (dissemination) helps us better understand our own traditions and those of others, encouraging social harmony and tolerance.

“It can also be entertaining, educational and therapeutic.”

Folklore isn’t limited to bushranging days, but it looks and sounds different now. 

The stories are now told on social media rather than around a campfire or on the veranda.

“It’s things that people take for granted,” Prof Seal said.

“It’s all about local traditions, customs, stories, legends.

“Our beliefs about the weather, about good or bad luck, customs such as cracker night, children’s games and rhymes, types of speech, songs and music, including parodies of popular songs.

“Family folklore includes pet names, recipes or home remedies.

“It’s the unofficial, informal aspects of life, the things that we have just picked up through living in community or family, closely associated with belonging.”

Local Rob Willis, who collects for the National Library of Australia’s Oral History and Folklore collection, said the Facebook group “We grew up in Forbes and are very proud of it” gave a good idea of what it was about.

“Forbes is not locked in the past, it is still creating new myths, songs, poetry and legends for future generations,” he said.

“The photos that are shared in these groups and the stories generated from them - stories that have grown in stature over the years.

“There are stories about the abattoir workers, or there might be a photo of a bloke in a car and someone will comment, ‘remember that time when …’ Anything that starts with, ‘you know you’re from Forbes when …’ is what we’re talking about.”