When a swagman returns from the road, he finds his wife Marge in bed with another man. He leaves her and takes his young daughter on the road. Forever a restless man, he and his daughter trudge from town to town, picking up what little work they can find: sheep-shearing, chopping wood, boxing, manual labor. Years before, he fell hard for the boss' daughter Lily but is run out of town by a rich rival. He and she are reunited and she is now a widow. He is still in love with her but he, being obstinate, refuses to settle down, dragging his child along. However, a tragedy on the road brings them back together in order to help his daughter.