there was also a hymn singing tradition brought by missionaries in the 19th century. the beginnings of australia's bush music come from the songs sung by the convicts who were sent to australia from 1788. they tell of the harsh life of the time, and of people and events including bushrangers, swagmen, drovers, stockmen and shearers. convict and bushranger verses often complained about the governments misuse of power. examples include ballads like: the wild colonial boy, click go the shears, the eumeralla shore, the drover's dream, the queensland drover, the dying stockman and moreton bay.