later bush ballads told stories of war, droughts, floods, aboriginality, railways and roads. isolation and loneliness of life in the australian bush has been another theme. they often tell of the difficulties and struggles for the working poor people. the bush ballads are often ironic and humorous, for example "beautiful land of australia." they were an oral and folkloric tradition, and only later published in print, such as banjo paterson's "old bush songs", in the 1890s.