History of Australia (1851–1900) drovers, stockmen and shearers were popular during the 19th century. Convict and bushranger verses often railed against government tyranny. Classic bush songs on such themes include: The Wild Colonial Boy, Click Go The Shears, The Dying Stockman and Moreton Bay. For much of its history, Australia's bush music belonged to an oral and folkloric tradition, and was only later published in print in volumes such as Banjo Paterson's "Old Bush Songs", in the 1890s. The lyrics of Waltzing Matilda, often regarded as Australia's unofficial National anthem, and a quintessential early Australian country music song were composed by the poet Banjo
Strawhead (band) fueled some controversy when it made a derivate work from an old ballad entitled "The Bold Fusilier". "The Bold Fusilier" is a British song which some argue predates the 1903 tune to "Waltzing Matilda". "Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known folk song, and has been referred to as 'the unofficial national anthem of Australia. There are similarities between "Waltzing Matilda" and "The Bold Fusilier", making for argument that one of the songs is based on the other song. There is no evidence that "The Bold Fusilier" is older than "Waltzing Matilda" and Australia and most sources reject the idea