A Farewell To Sherbrooke

For me it was love at first sight with Sherbrooke right from the very start I loved the place
But now I feel the time is ripe to move on where mine would not be a familiar face
For eleven years I've lived near the Town of Belgrave and on looking back how quick those years have gone
And I am getting older over fifty and I won't be sorry to be moving on.

I like the people of the Dandenong Ranges and good memories of them with me will remain
I found them good and kind and caring people and will I ever meet their likes again?
But the time has come for me to move on elsewhere of the same old scenery I have grown tired
And to live elsewhere for me is a new challenge and we all need challenges to be inspired.

But I shall miss the wooded hills of Sherbrooke and I shall have the fondest memories
Of places such as Selby and Kallista the homes of the majestic old gum trees
And I shall miss the wild creatures of Sherbrooke the kookaburra with the laughing call
The crimson rosellas and the yellow tailed black cockies and the lyrebird the greatest mimic of them all.

And I too shall miss Birdsland near South Belgrave and those pleasant walks I had around the lakes
The loud quacks of the wild born female black duck and the softer quacking of the feral drakes
The cormorant standing quietly on the lake shore with wings stretched out for sun and wind to dry
It's been said by those who know when he's been fishing with water on his wings he cannot fly.

Perhaps I might have lived too long near Belgrave for eleven years in one place seems quite long to stay
And despite my years the wanderlust still in me and I still yearn for places far away
In my dreams I walk the surf beach at Kilcunda and hear the waves against the breakers roar
And at Inverloch stand by the quiet inlet and watch the water lapping on the shore.

Farewell to you old Sherbrooke I am leaving it's time you moved on the voice within me say
And though I hate the thought of parting from you suppose it had to come to this one day
For despite my years the wanderlust still in me though what hair left on my head now silver gray
But I still love the challenge in each new beginning and I still yearn for places miles away.