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“I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains
Of ragged mountain ranges
Of droughts and flooding rains”
These evocative words are from one of Australia’s most quoted poems. They are from the second verse of My country written by a homesick young Australian, Dorothea Mackellar (1885-1963) in about 1904.
The poem was first published in the London Spectator on 5 September 1908 titled as Core of My Heart. It reappeared several times in Australia before being included as 'My Country' in her first book, The Closed Door and Other Verses (Melbourne, 1911). This famous poem is believed to have been directly inspired by Dorothea Mackellar's experience of life on the land, and her love of the Allyn River district, NSW.
Core of my heart
Dorothea Mackellar (1885-1968) is best known as a poet, the author of 'My Country', first published in 1908 under the title 'Core of My Heart'. She also wrote three novels.
Dorothea Mackellar (1885-1968) is best known as a poet, the author of 'My Country', first published in 1908 under the title 'Core of My Heart'. She also wrote three novels.