Heave Away, Haul Away
‘South Australia’ is one of the most popular sea shanties sung today. Fast, energetic and impossible to perform half-heartedly, it is a favourite of shanty groups around the world.
Unlike some maritime songs whose origins can be traced back to the eighteenth century, the history of ‘South Australia’ is less clear. Historians know that it was widely sung by deep-water sailors during the second half of the nineteenth century, but its exact birthplace remains uncertain.
The Earliest Evidence
The earliest known publication of the song appeared in 1888 in The Music of the Waters, compiled by Laura Alexandrine Smith.
That publication gives firm evidence that the song was already established among sailors by the 1880s.
A Working Shanty
‘South Australia’ is usually classified as a capstan shanty. A capstan was the large vertical winch used to raise anchors and perform other heavy work aboard ship.
The repeated refrain of ‘Heave away’ fitted this work perfectly as sailors walked around the capstan.
The Australian Connection
The title links the song with Australia and it became strongly associated with the sailing routes between Britain and Australian ports during the nineteenth century.
Many modern descriptions claim that the song originated specifically aboard emigrant ships or wool clippers. While either is possible, no surviving contemporary source proves the claim.
The Age of the Clippers
By the time ‘South Australia’ was being collected, the great clipper ships were among the fastest vessels afloat, carrying emigrants, mail and cargoes around the globe.
What Do Historians Say?
Stan Hugill described ‘South Australia’ as a capstan shanty and noted its close connection with deep-water sailing traditions.
“Heave away, haul away, heave away together...”
Why We Still Sing It
- It has one of the most memorable choruses in the shanty tradition.
- Its rhythm recreates the sound of sailors working together.
- It belongs to the great age of global sail and migration.
- Almost any audience can join in after hearing the chorus once.
Further Reading
- Laura Alexandrine Smith, The Music of the Waters (1888).
- Stan Hugill, Shanties from the Seven Seas (1961).
- Richard Runciman Terry, The Shanty Book (1921).