who wrote waltzing matilda

The song "Waltzing Matilda" was written by Australian poet Banjo Paterson in 1895. He composed the original lyrics while staying at Dagworth Station near Winton in Queensland. The melody was played by Christina Macpherson, based on a tune she remembered from a Scottish march. The song has become Australia's unofficial national anthem and tells the story of a swagman (travelling worker) who encounters trouble after stealing a sheep and ultimately takes his own life rather than be captured.