Land Settlement and the Development of Farming under the Agricultural Lands Purchase Act of 1894 and Closer Settlement Acts 1906-1917 J. C. R. CAMM, M.Sc. Lecturer in Geography at the University of Newcastle
Land tenure is one of the fundamental elements in the The Queensland Agricultural Lands Purchase Act of 1894 evolution of an agricultural economy and consequent settlement The Queensland Agricultural Lands Purchase Act which pattern. In Queensland as in other Australian States the passed through the legislature in 1894 has been described by solution of the land tenure problem has proved difficult. In Charles Bernays as, 'one of much importance and far reaching efforts to regulate conflicting agricultural ideals the legislature effect' 2. This Act, its subsequent amendments and the Closer has passed a multitude of land acts. The minutiae of these Settlement Acts passed from 1906 to 1917 had as. their major laws are overwhelmingly complex and difficult to summarise aim the purchase of land by the government and its subsequent although several studies have outlined the development of and planned resale for closer settlement based upon the family the search for satisfactory tenure conditions as reflected in agricultural farm. The Act introduced a number of principles Queensland legislation 1. However, case studies of the effec.ts widely adopted in later legislation. From its inception the of specific land acts on particular localities are fewer 10 regulations governing the Act were designed to be more dis number. It is therefore the aim of this paper to examine criminating in the development of closer settlement than the the extent of land repurchased under the Agricultural Lands regulations of previous acts having the same objectives. For Purchase Act of 1894, and allied acts, in the twenty-five year a variety of reasons most of these early acts had enjoyed only period from 1894 to 1919 and to evaluate the success of the limited success in the fostering of closer agricultural settlement. legislation and characteristics of farming and landscape changes Under the conditions of the 1894 Act each estate that was that developed. offered for repurchase and agricultural sub-division was carefully
Queensland Heritagc Page Tl1'cnty-{iI'c 8 inspected by the Land Board. This Board then reported under owner as £3.12.6 • In another case the acquisition of Westbrook six maior headinO's to the Minister of Lands on the general Subdivision No. 1 the repurchase price was £2.8.0 per acre suitability of tht property for closer. settlement. Particular for land originally offered at £2.15.0 9. consideration was paid to- (1) the faIr value of the land to A key factor in the repurchase of estates was the demand the owner; (2) the demand for land in the neighbourhood for for agricultural land within the locality. This was in fact the agricultural settlement; (3) the suitability of the land offered very origin of the Agricultural Lands Purchase Act. In the for agricultural settlement; (4) the permanency of water supply; area of all repurchased estates the demand was pressing. This (5) the probability of immediate selection of the land.; and factor and other major characteristics of repurchase is well (6) the absence of a sufficient quantity of Crown land ~n. the illustrated in the report of the acquisition of Glengallan No. 1 neighbourhood available for agricultural settlement 3. AddItIonal estate. expert advice was also generally obtained on the nature and In the neighbourhood of the Glengallan Estate, judging by the fertility of the soils of the estate from the Department of inquiries the Land Board has made, there is a steady demand for good land for agricultural settlement. Generally on the Darling Agriculture. , .. Downs district this demand exists, and whenever land of good In most instances some modification of the owner s ongmal quality has been offered on reasonable terms by private owners, proposals was necessary before the Land Board submi~te~ its sales have been effected. The accessibility of land on the Glengallan final report. In some cases this led to protracted negotIatIons; Estate to the railway line offers additional inducement to select, and, in the opinion of the farming class, the value of the land the Gowrie estate, for example, was first offered for repurchase is considerably enhanced thereby. in March 1895 but was not finally acquired until 1901 4. In On the terms authorised by the 'Agricultural Lands Purchase Act the case of the North Toolburra estate, the initial offer by the of 1894' which are easier than any private owner could offer, land owners-Thomas Coutts and the Australian Joint Stock Bank would certainly be purchased, and the Land Board have reasons to believe that there are selectors now on the lookout for farms on was modified because of the poor quality of a large sector of the property under reference, who are ready to select whenever it the land tendered (figure 1) 5. At its preliminary inspection may be opened to selection 10. of this property, the Land Board judged that it contained too Despite the more difficult terms that private sale entailed, large a section of steep rugged terrain that was unsuitable for on the Darling Downs, the purchase by would-be agriculturalists agriculture (portion C), although the land along the frontage ~f of small blocks of land from large estates was a feature by the the Condamine River and Glengallan Creek was first class. This 1890s, and this tendency continued. This trend clearly indicated section was subsequently rejected. An amended proposal exclud the strong demand for arable land. On the Westbrook estate ing portion C was then submitted and accept~d by the Boa~d, before its repurchase in 1895, 6149 acres had been sold to which stated that parcel A (see Figure 1) consIsted of extenSIve small-scale agriculturalists. The acreage of individual lots varied rich black soil flats and good backland that was only lightly from 41 to 1224, with a price range from £2.5.0 to £7.1.0 1I. timbered. Parcel B although of poorer quality than A was A similar large sale of land had been negotiated on the considered capable of cultivation and suitable for the maintenance Clifton Estate. Here a total of 9267 acres had been subdivided of good pasturage. with the creation of 62 holdings 12. The situation at Clifton Similar adjustments occurred elsewhere. Rosewood estate 6 however was to prove exceptional. For although the farmers in the Ipswich district was at first rejected because of the had paid deposits, had occupied and had improved the land inclusion of 1058 acres deemed unsuitable on account of poor to a considerable degree, the legal title was still vested in the soils, bad drainage and physical separation from the area of Queensland Investment Company. This company offered the potentially good agricultural land. The repurchase of Glengallan land to the government under the provisions in the Agricultural No. 1 7 also saw modifications of proposals to exclude an area Lands Purchase Act. However, under the Act all land repurchased of poor stony ridges. had to be thrown open for selection by ballot if necessary. This There was also generally disparity between the price asked produced the immediate problem of the possibility of the occupant and the Government's offer. In the case of Rosewood the of the land losing his holding. However, as reported by Thomas owr.ers' amended offer was made at £4.2.6 per acre. However, Stevenson Sword of the Land Board, "each occupant is prepared the Land Board considered the fair value of the land to the to take his chance of gaining or losing his farm by ballot should there be more than one applicant for it, trusting that in the event of his farm being lost by him, the Crown will pay over to him, as an act of grace, the value of the improvements which may be paid by the incoming selector, as such value may be fixed either by mutual agreement or by the Land Board in open court in the usual way" 13. The unique position of Clifton was later resolved when the Government accepted the Clifton farmers as settlers under the ordinances of the Agricultural Lands Purchase Act. The case of Clifton agriculturalists does emphasise the earnest desire of small-scale operators to own and work their own land. This demand had fostered the private sale of land by large
N estates to would-be agriculturalists. Private purchase from large ('0 holdings seems to have been the norm by which southern farmers, "d Victorians and New South Welshmen obtained holdings, "for 0'"/,,~ (~ - very few from outside (Queensland) ... selected repurchase C-area f/~ land ... they object to 160 acres being altogether too small" 14. excluded ~/' D from amended The rental of land for agricultural purposes at considerable offer. premiums provides a further indication of the desire for land II open block soil flats. for crop production. In its report concerning the Cryna estate near Beaudesert the Land Board recorded that 'men were renting [] good land lightly timbered. at 5s. to 8s. per acre ... for a five years' lease' 15. This was ....--, 0 I. 2 ~! ~ (1600, • l;;;;;;;;;...... considered a sound indication of the strong desire of people to ~ contours 10 feet. MILES obtain good quality agricultural land. The high level of demand remained a constant factor in the Figure The North Toolburra Estate, 1895. repurchase of estates. Demand was stil~ high in the early 1900s
Page Twenty-six Queensland Heritage as is clearly indicated by the evidence submitted to the select committee on Land Monopoly Tax, - 'there has been a very wo%j) / considerable demand recently on the D.owns proper - betw.een / Toowoomba and Warwick, and extendmg as far as Yandllla, \F west of Pittsworth, there is no Crown Land except estates that have been repurchased of which nearly the whole has been I fl'::::'Townsville disposed of' 16. I '''Kuman
be paid in debentures. Wa I e S Before discussing the extent of repurchase it is necessary briefly to outline the major amendments and complementary Acts Figure 2 Selection of land under the ordinances of the Queensland Agricultural Lands Purchase Act 1894 and Closer Settlement Acts that were legislated in the period 1896 to 1919. In this period 1906-1917. the original Act was amended and supplemented. Under the initial regulations land was only opened as agricultural farms 17 the rent for which was set at £7.12.6 per cent of the purchase of the repurchased estate had been selected from the day it price. was purchased twenty years ago' 21. The total area selected These regulations were amended in 1897 to make it possible represents 72 per cent of the land opened for occupation. to take out unconditional selection 18 on land that was not The predominant mode of selection was as agricultural farms selected after six months. The method of payment was also (Table I) - this form of selection accounting for 511,955 acres changed to one of an initial payment of £ 10 per £ 100 of the (77.2 per cent). A higher proportion of land was selected in purchase price, with no payments in the second year followed this manner on some estates. In the case of the Clifton estates, by subsequent yearly payments of £7.19.0 per cent. Further Goomburra, Glengallan No.2, Beauaraba, Pinelands and Cooroy minor modifications were passed in 1901 and 1905. In 1906 all land was taken under this method. The maximum area the Closer Settlement Act was passed. Under this Act land of individual blocks that could be selected under this method was available for selection as agricultural farms and after 12 was 160 acres; however it was possible, and as a result quite months as unconditional selections. The terms of these selections common, to select more than one portion - for example at were extended 25 years. This period was lengthened under the Kilcoy 83 selectors took up 93 portions in the creation of 90 Closer Settlement Act of 1913 to 40 years. Further amendments farms while at Beauaraba 30 persons selected 48 blocks in the were passed in 1917 with the introduction of perpetual lease establishment of 40 farms 23. As a result of this tendency of tenancy. However, despite this plethora of amendments the multiple selection the average size of the 2322 agricultural farms initial concept of the Agricultural Lands Purchase Act of 'the was 220 acres, nevertheless this acreage in many cases was purchase of lands suitable for immediate settlement and the later to prove totally inadequate for the establishment of facilitating the settlement thereof' 19 remained. The alterations commercial farming. that took place represented changing ideas on the most satisfac The remainder of the land selected was held either as tory way of achieving the aims. unconditional selection, perpetual lease or prickly pear selection. The extent of repurchased lands. Two hundred and fifty-two farms comprised of 45;815 acres Under the Land Act and subsequent amendment acts in the were taken up as unconditional selection. Tenure under perpetual period 1894-1919, 662,755 acres were settled by 2304 selectors lease accounted for six per cent (175) of farms established, with in the creation of 2755 farms (Fig. II) 20. The greatest propor a total acreage of 104,068 (16.2 per cent). The bulk of this tion of land selected occurred in south-eastern Queensland on selection occurred on Cecil Plains where the entire total selected the Darling Downs. One thousand and nine of the new (64,049 acres) was taken in this manner. Farms held under agriculturalists took land on the Downs. The only estate that perpetual lease were considerably larger than other holdings was repurchased but did not attract settlers was the Seaforth with an average of 594. estate near Mackay. As Bernays recorded in 1919 'not an acre The background of the new agriculturalists varied greatly, but certainly in the initial repurchases most were Queenslanders, * Edaphic: Soil characteristics in relation to plant growth. chiefly the sons and daughters of local farmers 24.
Queenslalld Heritage Page Twenty-seven The bulk of the settlers were men with relatively small capital agricultural farms. A rectangular network of roads was also resources who were aiming to meet their repayments from the laid out. The erection of 94 dwellings on the new rectangular products of their farms. The purchase of land that was close holdings of limbour created visible evidence of the development to major settlements by townspeople was also common. of closer settlement. The status of occupancy of the estates Numerous Warwick residents bought land on the Glengallan purchased before 1900 is shown in Table II 28. Of the 792 estates using their holdings to supply provisions for their selections taken out as agricultural farms, 480 satisfied occupancy families. regulations by residence on the selection by either the selector and his family or an agent. The vast majority of this total Changes initiated by repurchase. (386) was residence by the selector. The remainder of the Repurchase initiated changes in agricultural practices and selectors satisfied occupancy requirements by residence within created a new landscape of closer sub-division and small 15 miles. homesteads. Prior to repurchase most of the estates on the The irregular paddocks of pre-repurchase had been superceded Downs were extensive ranges for sheep; (for instance, Westbrook by rectangular holdings which in turn were sub-divided, a 106,800, Gowrie 41,811 and Cecil Plains 90,000) 25 and were necessary pre-requisite for the development of a more intensive comprised of large paddocks with few roads and only the land-use pattern. During the 25 years from 1894 to 1919 the occasional sign of permanent habitation. Probably the most Land Act was responsible for the development of many agri common feature of the cultural landscape was the all important cultural activities including the growth of commercial dairy trinity of well, windpump and trough for watering stock. The activities, wheat cultivation and mixed farming on the Darling new basis of agricultural occupation wrought marked changes. Downs and the extension of sugar cultivation on the coast. The changes in the appearance of two repurchased estates, An increase in cultivation and capital application to the land Glengallan No. 3 and limbour following subdivision is shown were typical of the trends that developed on the Darling Downs in Figures III 26 and IV 27. after 1894. Extracts of evidence of the small-scale agriculturalists of Clifton No. 1 estate submitted to the Land Board illustrate the general lines of development that f()l1owed the implementation of the 1894 Act. Name - James O'Brien; Description of land - Portion E, parish of Elphinstone. Area 80 acres. What price was land purchased for? - £3 per acre. What deposit was paid? £40. What homestead improvements have been made? - House, value £60; kitchen £10; barn £20. What fencing has been done? - the whole homestead is fenced and sub-divided into two paddocks; 40 acres under corn
\ and 38 grass paddock - other improvements - stockyard, well r\~no II 0 erected; garden. P'OPOI'~ v \~ 0 :D T_n ! A...,,,. .!wobl'lOOlU "" Name - Anthony George Larsen: Description of land - sub-division % - / 2 of portion 28, parish of Haldon. Area - 80 acres. What price was land purchased for? - £3 per acre. What deposit was paid? - 5s per acre. What homestead improvements have been made? Two-roomed slab house. What fencing has been done? - fenced all round and divided into three paddocks. Other improvements Barn, piggeries, yard, and dam for water. Remarks - I have 50 acres broken up for cropping, 35 acres with a standing crop of corn 29. The fencing of holdings, internal sub-division, the tillage of the soil, and the erection of dwellings as outlined by these two Clifton farmers are characteristics of the developments that followed the implementation of the Agricultural Lands Purchase Act. An outline of the progress of agricultural occupation on the estates repurchased in the first ten years of the Act's opera tion is shown in Table III 30. At the end of 1904 a total of 65,574 acres, 24.1 % of the P.oads b"fOtt: repurchme total area selected was under the plough. The proportion of
Internal fence~ before repurd'losc land that had been tilled varied greatly; 60% of the Rosewood
Holdinqs as olonned on and over half the acreage selected on Clifton No. 1 and tepurCN)Soe Glengallan No.2. At the other end of the scale only 301 RC'lods planned on repurcnme. acres (0.3%) and 586 acres (5.8%) had been ploughed on Durundur and Pinelands respectively. The value of capital ('J Homureod area improvements also varied greatly but they showed considerable correlation with the acreage under tillage. The largest capital improvements per acre were £4.1 and £2.1 which occurred on Figure 3 The changing landscape of the Glengallan No. 3 Estate. the Rosewood and Westbrook estates respectively. The state of agricultural advancement of the repurchased The 21,000 acre GlengalJan No. 3 estate before repurchase estates also serves to show that on certain estates the expected was divided irregularly into large paddocks some with an area developments had not occurred. In the case of the Cryna estate in excess of 2000 acres. Apart from one road which ran past the report submitted to the Minister of Lands in 1895 included the homestead complex in the north-east corner of the estate the following account of the estate's potential: the only permanent features that indicated occupation were a The soil on the creek flats is of best description. Lucerne would slab house, a stone built house, two wind pumps and the railway grow on it luxuriantly. The crops taken off this land have a very which skirted the western boundary. The proposed changes high average yield, it is stated at as much as from 50 to 90 bushels under the Agricultural Lands Purchase Act scheduled the area of maize per acre, according to the season 31. into 78 portions and a pattern of access roads. However, the position on Cryna in 1904 reveals that only This general pattern was repeated on limbour and on the 356-! acres were under tillage. Only a total of 1600 bushels remainder of the repurchased estates. On limbour for instance of maize (approximately 5 bushels per acre), 167 tons of hay, the original 14 paddocks of repurchased selection No. 4 were 10.25 tons of potatoes and a negligible amount of lucerne were divided into 81 portions each suitable to be taken up as produced. The density of stock was also low.
Page Twenty-eight Queensland Haitllge N
r I
/ \
I~ ; Part Sr.ction 20 ~, ( \ ' __-..J ": --.Jimbo~r Ho~est ad A Wind pump ------' , " 0 Well \ • Drinking trough > Dam • Hut or cottage (E Cemetery 0 0 Draughting yard 0 MILES Internal fences before repurchase Holdings as planned on repurchase o MILE Boundary fence ,
Roads planned on -_ Boundary of repurchase Jimbour RlPurchasc Estate. 1906-1910
Figure 4 The changing landscape of the Jimbour Repurchase Section NO.4.
Apart from the one or two estates which were not fulfilling The crops grown on this newly cultivated ground varied, their estimated potential an assessment of the impact of the maize, sorghum, lucerne, Rhodes grass and paspalum as summer repurchased estates on the development of agriculture, particularly grown fodder crops, and wheat, barley and oats occupying the on the Darling Downs, gives a highly positive picture. By 1910 winter sown acreage. A change in emphasis from .wheat cultiva approximately 75 per cent of all cultivated land on the Downs tion to fodder crop production and dairying occurred between was on the repurchased estates - in the Warwick, as in the the time of initial occupation of agricultural repurchased lands Toowoomba District there is comparatively little land under and the end of the second decade of the twentieth century. cultivation outside the repurchased estates, the area cultivated Table IV indicates this general trend for the Darling Downs 34. on selections of all kinds being about 3000 acres and on the During this period a two hundred per cent increase in cultivated repurchased estates about 28,000 acres, made up as follows area occurred. At the start of the 1890s maize was the most North Toolburra, 1900; Glengallan (No.1, 2 and 3) 16,800; important crop and together with wheat accounted for 55 per Goomburra 4,500; Maryvale 5,100 32. The position in the cent of the arable area, the amount of land given over to Toowoomba area also shows the same high proportion of fodder crops was relatively small, less than 10 per cent. By cultivated land on repurchased estates, in this case 86 per cent 1910 wheat had become the major cereal accounting for 30.4 of the total arable area (37,300 acres out of 43,300 acres) 33. per cent of the cultivated area. This increase had been
Queensland Heritage Page Twenty-nine ·encouraged by the general developments that were taking place to recognize the human variable in land settlement proved to in the Australian wheat industry - increased markets, greater be a major shortcoming of the legislation. This was a short use of fertilisers the introduction of new seed varieties and the coming that persisted in much Australian legislation designed greater use of s~mmer fallowing. However, the really significant to stimulate closer settlement until post 1945. It is readily change by 1910 was the development of hay and fodder crops recognised that new migrants to Queensland would lack I 12,000 acres of fodder crops were under cultivation, (39.4 per cent knowledge of local environmental conditions, but many also of arable land). The dominance of this land use had strengthened lacked farming backgrounds. Many also had false impressions by 1915, when the percentage stood at 54.2. The grea~er part of the potential of the land they were to farm. These impressions of this production was green fodder. The wheat acreage In 1915 in many instances had been created by inflated publicity. For had stabilised at about 80,000 - approximately 25 per cent of example the exaggerated publicity of the Jimbour lands in such arable land. At this time the significance of maize had greatly phrases as 'open black soil plains - good agricultural land diminished. The change to fodder crop production was in vart 280 acres will support 80 cattle (dairying)' 37, attracted many a response to the realisation that the environment of. the Darl~ng persons from overseas. Downs was generally more suited to dairying .and ~Ixed farmmg Failure to investigate the new selectors' financial status also than grain farming taking all risks into consIderatIOn. proved a shortcoming. In numerous cases the farmer's own The Outcome of Repurchase. contribution to capital investment (i.e. his equity) was excessively low, and consequently interest charges on borrowed funds The success of this type of legislation depends on the stimulus represented a heavy burden. Unfortunately this situation was inten~ive agricultu~e given to new agricultural pursuits in this case aggravated by the selection of several estates in highly favourable based on the owner-occupied farm. In the establIshment of thIS seasons which tended to encourage wheat cultivation. This in pattern the Act achieved a considerable degree of success for turn led to overcapitalisation on plant and machinery. In this it opened up over 600,000 acres which provided the base for lay an inherent danger, for unless successful agriculture ensues more than 2700 settlers and their dependants. It created a such assets become worthless liabilities, thus representing a situation in a decade which under the then existing legislation further financial drain. The failure to appreciate the need for would have only slowly been obtained. In agricultural develop a sound financial background was perpetuated in early Soldier ments there is little doubt that it was instrumental to a large Settlement schemes between the World Wars and it was not degree in the development of cereal cultivation and dairy until Land Settlement Schemes for Returned Servicemen after production. In many areas it initiated the occupation and land World War n that attempts to avoid such mistakes were use patterns as we recognise them today. Mere settlement and made 38. the establishment of agricultural practices, however, are not the The question of land tenure is dynamic and is one in which sole crIteria of success of land legislation. The financial outcome the experiences of the past largely determine present an~ future of the new ventures and the applicability of the legislation policies. Thus no appreciation of the development of agncultu.re through time are of major importance. in Queensland can exclude the background of tenure - ItS To some degree the success can be gauged by the extent continuity from the inheritance of New South Wales legislation to which the new agriculturalists can meet their financial and the Colony's first land act of 1860 to the present status of commitments in terms of rent payments. At the end of the land laws. Although the Queensland Agricultural Lands Purchase financial year in 1919 rent arrears on repurchased estates totalled Act represents only one phase in the continuum of land tenure £66,519, however, 40 per cent (£28,172) of this total was and land use it has proved to be of consequence not only in owed by Jimbour selectors 35. Only six of the 29 estates laying the foundations of present day agricultural patterns in repurchased had no selectors in arrears. On the remaining many areas but also by its introduction of the principle of estates the number varied with the indebtedness averaging about land assessment. The success was restricted because of the £ 10.0.0 per selector. Although this figure is small, failure fully failure to take account of the human variable. to meet financial commitments indicates that certain problems did exist. These problems had, in some cases, been aggravated REFERENCES by shortcomings in the legislation. 1. See for example B. R. Kingston, The Origins of Queensland's The legislation as outlined earlier took deliberate steps to "Comprehensive" Land Policy. Queensland Heritage, Vol. 1 No. 2 avoid the selection of physically unsuitable land. This was 1965, pp. 3-9; and The Search for an Alternative to Free Selection generally achieved and the principle of land assessment was in Queensland, Queensland Heritage, Vol. 1 No.5, 1966, pp. 3-9. of major importance for later legislation. However, an apprecia 2. C. Bernays.-Queensland Politics during Sixty Years, 1859-1919, tion of the equally important vagaries of climate was lacking. Brisbane, 1919, p. 326. 3. Report of Proceedings under 'The Agricultural Lands Purchase Act The full significance of climate data and the effects which of 1894', Votes and Proceedings of the Legislatil'e Assembly, Vol. IV. a decrease in both the amount and reliability of rainfall have 1896. pp. 629-655. on production costs were not fully understood at the time. 4. Various Reports on the Gowrie, Mount Russell and Durundur Average annual rainfall was considered, but seasonal incidence, estates. Votes and Proceedings of the Le{?islative Assembly, VoL IV. variability and the number of months of effective rainfall were 190 I. pp. 73-86. not. The failure to appreciate fully these aspects led principally 5. Based upon maps and evidence submitted by the Land Board on North Toolburra. in report of Proceedings under 'The Agricultural to legislation that allowed for the selection of a maximum Lands Purchase Act of 1894' op. cit. pp. 629-635. acreage that was to prove inadequate. It soon became apparent 6. Ibid. p. 640 that some reassessment was required. The dairyman in dry 7. Ibid. p. 632 spells required additional land on which to run his dry stock, 8. Ibid. p.640 but most selections with 160 to 240 acres could not provide 9. Ibid. p. 635 such additional pasturage. In general the dairymen suggested 10. Ihid. p. 632 that 600 acres would form a satisfactory basis. The grazier, 11. Ihid. pp. 635-637 on the other hand, indicated that an area of from 2,000 to 12. Ibid, p.647 3,000 acres was necessary to operate a financial proposition. 13. Ibid, p.644 The Royal Commission on limbour after hearing such evidence, 14. Report of the Royal Commission on Land Settlement, Minutes of suggested that the maximum area of holding should be raised Proceedings and Evidence, Votes alld Proceedings of the Legislative to 2,560 acres 36, thus providing for a change which it hoped Assembly, Vol. III, 1897, p.1182. would bring about a more satisfactory occupancy base. 15. Report of Proceedings under 'The Agricultural Lands Purchase Act of 1894' op. cit. p. 653. Inadequacies in the appreciation of climatic conditions may 16. Minutes of evidence taken before Select Committee on the Land be to some extent expected and can be understood but failure Monopoly Tax Bill, Parliamentary Papers, VoL I, 1905.
Page Thirty Queensland Heritage 17. The maximum area of this type of selection was set ~t 160 a~re.s. TABLE I This mode of selection required residence on the selectIOn o~ withIn MODE OF SELECTION 15 miles by the selector or his appointed agent and the fencIng and % of No. of (Ic of Average Size improvement of the land. . . 18. On unconditional no conditions of residency or Improvement. Mode Acreage Total Selection Total of Selection 19. C. Bernays, op. cit. p. 329 Agricultural farm 511.955 77.2 2.322 84.7 220 acres 20. The Agricultural Lands Purchase Act of 1894 and the Closer Unconditional Selec- Settlement Acts, 1906-1917, Statement 30 June, 1919, Parliamentary tion 45,815 6.6 252 9.4 181 acres Papers, Vol. II, 1919, p.709. Perpetual Lease 104,066 } 597 acres 21. C. Bernays, op. cit. p. 329 16.2 17; } 5.9 22. The Agricultural Lands Purchase Act of 1894 and the Closer PricklY Pear 887 147 acres Settlement Acts, 1906-1917, Statement 30 June, 1919, op. cit. p.709. TOTAL 100 2.755 100 240 acres 23. Ibid. p. 709 .. . 24. Report of Royal CommiSSIOn on Land Settlement, op. Cit. p. 1157. 25. Report of the Chief Inspector of Stock and Brands for 1890, Votes and TABLE II ProceedinRs of the Legislative Assembly, Vol. IV:, 1891, pp.763-794. POSITION OF OCCUPANCY ON REPURCHASE ESTATES 1900 Data for Cecil Plains from Department of Public Lands, Report by Number of Agricultural Other Resident Condition of Under Secretary for Public Lands under the Closer Settlement Act, Estate Selections Farms Selections Agricultural Farms 1906-1913. Residence on Selection Elsewhere within 26. Compiled from maps submitted to Royal Commission investigating By Selector By Agent the position of settlers on Jimbour, Queensland State Archives Map 15 miles Collection, see also Parliamentary Papers, Vol. II, 1919-1920, pp. Cryna 29 29 0 14 4 II 721-950. Rosewood 54 54 0 37 I 16 27. Based upon maps in Glengallan Collection, Queensland State Lake Clarendon 81 81 0 36 2 43 Archives, GP/89. Westbrook 88 88 0 56 5 27 23. Annual Report Department of Public Lands for 1900, Votes and Clifton No. I 66 66 0 44 3 19 ProceedinRs of the Legislative Assembly, Vol. IV, 1901. pp.l0-13. Headington Hill 234 227 7 120 42 65 29. Report of Proceedings under 'The Agricultural Lands Purchase Act Pinelands 34 34 0 23 I 10 of 1894', op. cit. p.24. Clifton No. 2 & 3 63 63 0 10 2 51 30. Source; Annual Report of Department of Public Lands for 1904, Beauaraba 36 36 0 5 7 24 Parliamentary Papers, Vol. II, 1905, p.383. Glengallan No. 1 54 42 12 25 15 12 31. Report of Proceedings under The Agricultural Lands Purchase Act North Toolburra 71 34 47 17 5 12 of 1894', op. cit. p.26. Glengallan No. 2 50 48 2 17 7 24 32. Annual Report of Department of Public Lands, 1911, Queensland Parliamentary Papers, Vol. III, 1912, p.61. TOTAL 860 792 68 386 94 312 33. Ibid. p. 62. 34. Source; Annual Reports @f the Department of Agriculture and Stock 1894 to 1915 printed in Votes and Proceedings and Parliamentary TABLE IV Papers. 35. The Agricultural Lands Purchase Act of 1894 and Closer Settlement CHANGING LAND USE ON THE DARLING DOWNS 1894-1915 Acts, 1906-1917, Statement, 30 June 1919, op. cit. p.709. 1894 1900 1910 1915 Change 1894-1915 36. Royal Commission on Jimbour, op. cit. p. 735. Increase or Decrease 37. Ibid. pp.721-950. TOTAL 38. Land Settlement Schemes for Returned Servicemen after World ACREAGE War II attempted to avoid such mistakes by adhering to certain Under crop 79,153 166,426 283,452 329,997 + 250,844 'principles of operation' e.g. Wheat (acres) 21,441 68,819 85,083 79,275 + 57,834 "(a) Settlement shall be undertaken only where economic prospects Per cent 27.3 41.6 30.4 24.7 for the production concerned are reasonably sound; and the number Maize (acres) 30,298 47,464 74,203 21,468 8,830 of eligible persons to be settled shall be determined primarily by Per cent 38.1 28.8 26.4 6.3 opportunities for settlement and not by the number of applicants; Fodder crops (b) Applicants shall not be selected as settlers unless a competent Hay (acres) 3,427 14,517 59,894 19,928 + 16,501 authority is satisfied as to their eligibility, suitability and qualifica Green Fodder tions for settlement under the Scheme and their experience of farm (acres) 3,351 19,058 53,792 161,038 + 157,687 work; TOTAL 6,778 33,575 113,686 180,966 + 174,188 (c) Holdings shall be of sufficient size to enable settlers to operate efficiently and to earn reasonable labour income." Per cent 8.2 20.3 39.4 54.2 Other principles related to capital investment and the provision of Other crops agricultural extension services. Official Yearbook of the Common (acres) 20,636 16,568 1,048 48,288 + 27,652 lI'ealth of Australia 1945/46, no. 37. p. 114. Per cent 26.4 9.1 3.8 14.8 TABLE III - CHARACfERISTICS OF FARMING ON REPURCHASE ESTATES, 1904 Stock Depastured I Production during 1904 District Nes. Area Acge under Percent Value of Value per & Estate Farms Selected Cultivation under Improvements acre (£) Dairy Other Horses Sheep Pigs Wheat Barley Oats Maize Hay tillage (£) cows cattle ( Bushels ) Tons Brisbane Cryna 42 3941 347.5 9.1 6639 1.2 282 357 102 30 160 1600 167 Durundur 77 31847 280 0.3 8749 968 2082 451 130 631 1.5 30 5235 53 Ipswich Rosewood 56 4452 2639 60.1 17926 4.1 250 250 238 378 120 130 8108 3168 Lake Clarendon 10 1 12830 2439 26.1 18702 1.5 479 953 373 396 25814 585 Tarampa 128 15678 2403 29.9 16000 1.0 723 1096 361 565 726 494 100 11977 308 Toowoomba Westbrook 97 8165 3457 42.2 17788 2.1 482 524 294 800 363 17811 5440 940 5790 672 Clifton No. 1 69 9205 5233 52.1 15347 1.6 480 419 489 2266 443 40730 15105 466 2840 624 Headington Hill 244 36812 16370 16.4 47194 1.3 916 1175 1287 2005 690 169118 20800 280 14608 1204 Pinelands 40 3463 584 5.8 5832 1.7 183 149 79 187 8 5470 Clifton No. 2& 3 67 7990 2315 28.7 8697 1.1 337 219 288 900 50 18375 7750 1876 139 Beauaraba 41 7945 670 8.3 4363 0.5 38 1269 51 1100 24 2346 4 120 224 36 Mt. Russell 83 42926 2909 6.3 16770 0.3 330 1918 735 12779 276 19589 1934 72 1504 40 Gowrie 155 35929 8825 25.2 37324 1.0 1018 1505 1010 6090 1059 25722 7122 300 11480 645 Warwick Glengallan No. 1 57 6139 2831 46.7 11689 1.8 308 208 320 365 305 25744 1032 2684 155 Nth Toolburra 78 10469 3122 29.8 8639 0.7 314 812 289 190 37960 2920 1340 132 Glengallan No.2 80 8987 4770 53.6 12164 1.3 118 189 260 250 54142 3468 4380 160 Goomburra 43 12794 3617 28.3 13406 1.0 620 567 288 630 685 38000 5120 7724 Glengallan No.3 77 15780 2664 31.9 11932 0.7 147 1112 159 103 72 3600 Rockhampton Fitzroy Park 47 4001 229 7.1 2730 0.6 178 68 155 78 910 40 TOTAL 780 65574.5 24.1 281891 8168 14872 7239 27198 6802 452392 74947 2278 113834 8267
Queensland Heritage Page Thirty-one