The Ballad of the Ghost Girl - A child lost in the mountain forests of Far East Gippsland

(Based on a true story. The child walked twenty miles to the headwaters of the Delegate River - Now part of Errinundra National Park.)

To go meet her father, was in her mind.
When down to the river, she went to find,
The way to the old mill, along its banks she did wind.
But the daughter went upstream,
She went upstream
Ever upstream,
Wending her way.

For she knew that the mill, from the river it fed.
So to "stay on the river", was all that he'd said.
But the mill it was downstream, and she'd gone upstream instead.
So the daughter went upstream.
She went upstream,
Ever upstream,
As light faded away.

The country was getting more rugged and rough.
And she trudged on for miles, and the going was tough.
But the child knew not, how far was enough.
And the daughter trudged upstream.
She climbed upstream,
Ever upstream,
Into the next day.

Alarms were raised and the black Tracker sent.
And a party of men slowly made the ascent.
Her cries heard in a lonely hut. They were on her scent.
So the tracker went upstream.
The searchers went upstream,
Ever upstream,
Without delay.

After twenty miles at the rivers fork,
The maid found that she no longer could walk.
So she lay down and death, the child it did stalk.
And death it came upstream.
Slowly it came upstream,
Ever upstream,
And stole her away.

Many miles of rough bush did the searchers ride through.
The black tracker had done the best he could do.
When at last near The Forks, they found one single shoe.
And her ghost it walks upstream.
Calls to her father, upstream,
Ever upstream,
To this very day.