Winton, Queensland folk song, "Waltzing Matilda", which had its first performance in the North Gregory Hotel in the town. The Waltzing Matilda Centre opened in 1998 and is the first museum dedicated to a song. The song was written by 'Banjo' Paterson whilst holidaying at a local property, Dagworth Station. The music for the song was arranged by Christina Macpherson, the sister of the station manager who was visiting at the same time. In 2012, to remind Australians of the song's significance, Winton organised the inaugural Waltzing Matilda Day to be held on 6 April, the anniversary of its first performance. The
Banjo Paterson work is often compared to the prose of Henry Lawson, particularly the seminal work, "The Drover's Wife", which presented a considerably less romantic view of the harshness of rural existence of the late 19th century. Paterson authored two novels; "An Outback Marriage" (1906) and "The Shearer's Colt" (1936), wrote many short stories; "Three Elephant Power and Other Stories" (1917), and wrote a book based on his experiences as a war reporter; "Happy Dispatches" (1934). He also wrote a book for children "The Animals Noah Forgot" (1933) Contemporary recordings of many of Paterson's well known poems have been released by Jack