Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The iconic Australian poem you're likely thinking of is "My Country" (originally "Core of My Heart"), written by Dorothea Mackellar in 1904—not Irene R. McLeod. Mackellar, born in Sydney in 1885, penned the verses at age 19 while homesick in England. It remains Australia's most beloved patriotic poem.
"My Country" contrasts the soft, green landscapes of England with Australia's harsh, sunburnt beauty:
"I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror—
The wide brown land for me!"
The poem expresses a fierce, unromanticised love for the Australian continent—its extremes, colours, and resilience. It resonates deeply with rural and urban Australians alike, often recited at school assemblies, citizenship ceremonies, and national events.
Mackellar published several poetry collections and novels, but "My Country" defined her. She was awarded an OBE in 1968 and died in 1968. The Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards, established in 1984, encourage young Australians to write poetry, continuing her influence.
If you encountered the name "Irene R. McLeod" in connection with this poem, it may be a misattribution or confusion with another Australian poet. The definitive author is Dorothea Mackellar.