Deborah Bishenden- Found
Moments in time come and go
Majestically the tidal river flows
The Fitzroy River stamps its mark
Soul of Rockhampton the regions heart
Heritage buildings sandstone sculptured
Historical streetscapes unique and cultured
Coolibah trees with tall spreading crowns
Overhang the boardwalk where tourists abound
A wet season Capricornia would remember
Impacted this mighty river late December
Cyclonic tempestuous rain spelt disaster
Could the iconic catchment run any faster
The alluvium river bank began washing away
Torrents of water eroding deposits of clay
Fed by the Dawson and Mackenzie Rivers too
Tributaries and streams surging through
Twenty metres tall this grand native stood
Hard strong and durable termite resistant wood
Sing Waltzing Matilda remember the tree
Aboriginal ancestors fished with the leaves
How did it go unnoticed struck from the bank
Broken limbs and bough distorted as it sank
Currents churned and gurgled tearing trunk apart
Smooth barked white branches created abstract art
The voyage continued for the fractured tree
It landed on North Keppel to be found by me
Left a footprint on the sand this driftwood by the shore
Touched by Kanomi spirit dead wood no more
