Although the history of Australian verse dates back to early colonial times, one of the first genuinely antipodean poetic voices was that of Adam Lindsay Gordon (1833–1870). During his short and tragic life, Gordon published two volumes of verse, the second of which was Bush Ballads and Galloping Rhymes, which appeared in the year of his death.

Although Gordon’s verse varies widely in quality, and occasionally descends into rank banality, it also contains many lines of great power. Gordon was a skilled and adventurous horseman, and several of the poems relate to horses and horse riding.