The ‘Squatters’ Act of 1846-47 In the course of the [previous] years, complaints had become numerous with regard to the unstable character of the annual leasehold system then in vogue, as apart from the uncertainty of continued possession, the erection of permanent structures required in the profitable management of the runs for the brief period of a year could not be entertained. These and other disadvantages having been duly represented in a petition for fixity of tenure, the famous “Squatters” Act of 1846-47 was the result. The fixity of tenure was, however, limited to fourteen years. The remodelled regulations which were ba.sed on the moderate requirements of squatters, received the approbation of the Secre tary of State, and with certain modificiations were embodied in the regulations of the Act. [C. J. King, in his book, p. 54, says, “The struggle was won when in December, 1845, the Ministry which had sup ported Gipps was replaced by a new Ministry wedded to the idea of granting fixity of tenures”. This was embodied in the Imperial Act of 1846, entitled An Act for Regulatii^ the Waste Lands .... in the Australian Colonies, assented to 28 August, 1846, and taking effect from 1 May, 1847, authorised the making of Orders-in-Council and announced on 7 October, 1847. The Act “embodied Gipps’s concessions whilst thrusting aside all the safe-guards that he had intended”.] Owing to the rapid spread of pastoral occupancy, northerly and north-westerly, and in the Port Phillip division of the colony, a rearrangement of the districts became necessary, as in part represented in the sub-joined list. On the south the Port Phillip division was separated into four districts, namely, Wimmera, Murray, Gippsland, and Western Port; but although this division was still part of the mother colony, its adolescence was considered sufficiently advanced to admit of its plea for separate action in the administration of local affairs. It is therefore deemed advis able to list the runs of this now rapidly advancing portion of the colony under a separate heading. The following abbreviated announcement prefaced each of the principal lists of applicants for runs which appeared at intervals in the Government Gazette :— His excellency the Governor directs it to be notified, for the information of all persons interested, that in pursuance of Her Majesty’s Order-in-Council, of March 9, 1847, the undermentioned persons have demanded leases of the several runs of Crown land particularised in connection with their respective names. It is to be distinctly understood that the Government does not pledge itself to the issue of a lease in any case until due enquiry has been made into the validity of the claim, and whether or not it may be necessary to reserve any portion of the land claimed, for any of the public purposes contemplated in the Order-in-Council, 35 In later years the southern of Port Phillip division of the colony was bounded on the north by the Murray River, and sub divided into five squatting districts (Murray, Western Port, Wimmera, Portland Bay, and Gippsland) and three intermediates (Bourke, Grant, and Normanby), as shown on the map of the Squatting Districts, compiled in 1847 (see page 67). Gippsland however, was classed as an intermediate district by Order of Council in the same year, and lands adjoining the larger townships and a few of the more important rivers of the colony were reserved for settlement. With regard to the validity of claims, it may be stated that the adjustment of run boundaries occupied the attention of the Commissioners of Crown Lands during a lengthy period, and in a number of cases was not completed until after the passing of the “Subdivision of Runs” A ct of 1884. In the following lists, particulars regarding adjoining runs and approximate stock carrying capacity have been omitted, but these details, if required, may be seen in the Government Gazette of New South Wales, 1848. MACLEAY RIVER PASTORAL DISTRICT—No. Acreage Frontage No. Lessee Name of Run approx. River or Creek 1. Ainsworth, John Adelaide Plains 1,200 Dungy Creek 9 Bank of Australasia Innes Creek 48,000 McLeay River i. Briggs, William Sherwood 4,480 do. 4. Bell, D avid Cullatin 10,240 5. Chapman, W. H. & Co. Yarrabandine 19,000 Christmas Ck. 6. do. Tanban 19,000 7. do. Belimbopine 9,600 8. do. Bally Bally 19,000 Fronting Ocean 9. Ducat, William Moonaba 7,680 McLeay R. 10. Ducat, Charles Yarrowall 14,316 do. 11. Ducat & Stephen Towal Ck. 32,000 do. 12 do. Stockyard Ck. 13,440 do. 13. Evans, John Euroka 10,000 do. 14. Gamack, Alexander Dungee Ck. 16,000 Dungee Ck. 15. H ill, H enry Corrungala 15,360 McLeay R. 16. do. Toorookoo 16,000 do. 17. H enderson, John Elsineur 14,720 do. 18. Hebden, George & Co. Klybucca 20,000 Klybucca Ck. 19. Jobling, George Cunderay 40,000 McLeay R. 20. Kem p, W illiam Booningii 12,800 Dungee Ck. 21. do. Toorunbee 16,000 Parallel Ck. 22. M cLeod, M agnus Dondingalong 2,500 McLeay R. 23. Mackay, Patrick Tail’s Station 17,920 do. 24. Oakes, Henry Richard Seven Oaks 5,000 do. 25. Panton, John Wabbra 32.000 do. 26. do. Long Flat 17,280 do. 27. Rudder, Enoch Wm. Woodfield 3.808 do. 28. Smith, William Warwick 7,680 do. 29. Salway. Herbert Calatini 19.200 do. 30. do. Yesaba 7,680 31. Salmon, Thos. Armitage Glenrock Plain 5.000 M cLeay R, 32. Warne, John & Chas. F. Five Day Ck. 19.200 do. 33. D ucat, Charles Pee Dee Ck. 13.440 do. 36 NEW ENGLAND PASTORAL DISTRICT—No, 2 Acreage Frontage No. Lessee Name of Run approx. River or Creek L Australasia. Bank of Dundee 40.000 2. do. Glen Innes 25.000 3. do. Mole River 60.000 4. do. Kentucky 40.000 5. do. Waterloo 30.000 Apsley River 6. Aus. Agricultural Co. Nowendoc 14.000 7. do. Gira 14.000 Barnard R, 8. do. Upper Barnard 11,500 do. 9. A shbee, E dw ard Frazer’s Creek 60.000 Frazer’s Creek 10. A nderson, C olin Alex. Newstead 71,680 McIntyre R. 11. Boyd, A rchibald Boy’s Plains 80,000 12. do. Whitmore (Yarrow-Ford) 50.000 13. Boyd, W m. M itchell Boyd’s Plains 9 Beardy Ck. 14. Bloxsom e, Oswald Rangers’ Valley 70.000 15. Bow m an, G eorge Maidenhead 63.000 Severn R. 16. B orthw ick, Thos. P. Auburn Vale 76,800 Bundarrah R. 17. Betts & Panton Jeogola 28.000 Styx R. 18. B roun, J., & E. A lcorn Elmsmore 51,200 19. Brow ne & H erring Barney Downs 90.000 20. Buchanan, W. F. Looanga 35.000 21. Buchanan, C. H. and W. F. Rimbanda 38,400 Carlisle Gully 22. Borrowes, N athan Hanging Rock 15,360 Peel R. 23. Blick, John W. P. Tyringham (Belmont) 17,280 Harness Cask R. 24. Barlow, Alexander Abington 53,760 Bundarrah R. 25 Blaxland, Edward J. and Arthur Aitkins Flat %#!### 26. Brown, Hetherington and Robinson Bonshaw 143,360 27. Bingle, J. R., and Seymour, G. W. Hartswood 50,000 Bundarra R. 28. Cam pbell, A lexander Inverell 50,000 McIntyre R. 29. Clerk, Edward George Clerkness 66,560 Bundarra R. 30. C oventry, A ndrew Oban 32,000 Anne R. 31. C raw ford, A. F., and McDonnell Moona Plains 15.000 32. C ruickshank, Fredk. Enmore 10.000 33. Cullen, T hom as Mihi Ck. 12,800 34. Cox, Jam es, & Thos. Smith Kingsgate 26,880 M an’s R. 35. D angar, H enry Gostwyck 48,000 Salisb’y Waters 36 do. Paradise Ck. 32,000 McIntyre R. 37. do. Bald Hills 19,200 Clarence River Heads 38. D ay, E dw ard D enny Aberfoil 75,000 39. D angar, W illiam Kangaroo Hills 35,840 C ook’s Ck. 40. do. Serpentine R. 19,200 41. Donaldson, Stuart Alex. Tenterfield 100,000 42. do. Clifton 70,000 Mole R. 43. Darby & Goldfinch Tiengah 80,000 Bundarra R. 44. D arby, A rthur Wanscombe 22,400 do 45. Dumaresq, William Tilbuster 65,000 46. Dumaresq, Eliz. Sophia Saumarez 100,000 47. Denne, Henry & R. Tia R. lOOsq. m. Tia R. 48. do. Cooplacurripa 10 sq.m. 49. Ditm as, Philip Clarevaulx 50,000 Beardy R. 50. E verett, G eo. & John Ollera 96 sq. m. 51. E lliot, G ilbert J. The Peak (Sugarloaf) 19,200 52. E liott, G ilbert Emu Ck. 38,400 53. Fenw ick. C. D. W. Yarrowitch 30.400 Yarrowitch R. 37 NEW ENGLAND PASTORAL DISTRICT—No. 2 (continued) Acreage Frontage No. Lessee Name of Run approx. River or Creek 54. Fleming, Josepli Orrabar 47,000 55. Fletcher, John Branga Plains 38,000 56. G ordon, Flugh Strathbogie 70,000 Branch of Severn River 57. Girard, Francis Branga Park 30,720 58. G ibson, G. L. Longford 20,000 Macdonald R. 59. Fletherington, W. C. Mandoey Ck. 51,200 60. Flail, Thomas S. Wallamumby 115,200 Wallamumby R. 61. do. Mt. Mitchell 102,400 Ann R. 62. Hall, Geo. (Estate of) Stanybatter 138,240 McDonald R. 63. do. Callagham Swamp 76,800 64. Hale, James Bannockburn 16,000 Byron Ck. 65. Hughes, Esther Cope’s Ck. 22,400 Cope's Ck. 66. Hargrave, Richard Hillgrove 20,480 Wollomumby R. 67. H yland, Edgar Woodburn Dale 15,000 68. Irby, Edw ard Bolivia 50,000 69. Jenkin, George Mihi Ck. 40 sq. m. 70. Jamieson & McKenzie Surveyors’ Ck. 40,000 Macdonald R. 71. Kelly, M artin Stoney Ck 15,360 72.