TASMANIA’S Thanks go to all members of the Potato History Steering Committee who guided and supported the project team in this endeavour. This is only the beginning of the project – still to come are the multimedia cd and website that are scheduled for release in 2004. Thank you to the project team of John McPhee, Rebecca Ashley and Lynn Broos who managed to fit this in around the rest of their work. Thanks also to the others who were conscripted to help with the often tedious work of newspaper research and information cataloguing. Lastly, special thanks and appreciation goes to Bruce Beattie, who’s passion for Tasmania, and in particular Tasmania’s potato industry, has made working on this project both interesting and fun. As with any work examining history, we can only recount what has been written in the past. We have tried to ensure that this is an accurate account, and have referenced material where appropriate. However, if you believe that some of the information is not accurate, then please let us know and we will endeavour to make amendments. This booklet has been edited by: Tracey Taylor Project Manager Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment PO Box 46, Kings Meadows, 7249 Phone: 1300 368 550 December 2003 ISBN 0 7246 6966 3 Proudly supported by: Contents Introduction 1 Project Contributors 2 The Van Diemen’s Land Experience ~ 1803 – 1854 3 The Tasmanian Experience ~ 1855 – 1913 7 World War I to World War II ~ 1914 – 1938 13 World War II ~ 1939 – 1945 19 The Post War Period ~ 1946 – 1959 25 From Fresh Market to Processing ~ 1960 – 2003 33 The Last Word 47 Potato Yields ~ 1830 - 2003 49 References 51 This photo of the Bates family c1900 captures the essence of the first 50 years of settlement on the north-west coast. Courtesy of Lyndon Head TASMANIA’S POTATO HISTORY i ii TASMANIA’S POTATO HISTORY Introduction The potato industry has been, and continues to be, central to the Tasmanian vegetable industry. It is hoped the documentation of its history will help both rural and urban communities understand and appreciate that significance, and give the people of Tasmania a sense of pride in being part of such a long running and significant industry. This booklet is the first stage of the project, with a multimedia cd and website being produced in 2004. In Potatoes and Tasmania have a long these media, we can capture the association. In the 1790’s, French essence of Tasmania’s potato explorers planted a garden, industry – the people. including potatoes, at Researche Bay. Captain Bligh is also believed to From the farmers to the researchers, have planted potatoes on Bruny the stories told all have one thing in Island in 1792. When he later looked common - a commitment to and a for the crop he found that they had passion for Tasmania’s potato all died. Only after he had sailed industry. away did he note in his diary that perhaps he should have looked This project would not have under the ground! happened without the support and commitment of past and present However, the first potato crops industry players. To those who believed to be harvested in worked on the steering committee, Tasmania were those planted in the project team and most of all, the Risdon Cove by Lt John Bowen’s people who gave their time to tell landing party in 1803, so this is the stories and supply the photos, where we begin our story. thank you for helping us to make this happen. From these humble beginnings, Tasmanian potatoes have evolved We hope you enjoy this booklet into an industry that is today worth which highlights the major ups and in excess of $97 million. This hasn’t downs of 200 years of potato been without its ups and downs, growing in Tasmania. Look out for sorrows and triumphs and stories of the multimedia component to be ordinary and extraordinary people. released in 2004. Bryan Green, MHA Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment TASMANIA’S POTATO HISTORY 1 Project Contributors Steering Committee Members Joe Stephens, retired DPIWE Potato Agronomist John Pauley, General Manager, DPIWE John Rich, Tasmanian Farmers & Graziers Association John Sullivan, vegetable grower, retired DPIWE Agricultural Economist Les Murdoch, McCain Foods (Australia) Ltd Peter Fountain, retired DPIWE Director Peter Hardman, Simplot Australia Pty Ltd Project Group Members Bruce Beattie, retired DPIWE Potato Specialist John McPhee, Team Leader, DPIWE Lynn Broos, Multimedia Designer, DPIWE Rebecca Ashley, Agricultural Officer, DPIWE Tracey Taylor, Project Manager, DPIWE TASMANIA’S POTATO HISTORY 2 The Van Diemen’s Land Experience 1803 - 1854 Potato Production 400 350 300 250 200 150 Tonnes (000’s) 100 50 0 35 Potato Area 30 25 20 15 10 Hectares (000’s) 5 0 500 State Population 400 300 200 People (000’s) 100 0 1830 1850 1870 1890 1910 1930 1950 1970 1990 Year TASMANIA’S POTATO HISTORY 3 The Van Diemen’s Land Experience 1803 - 1854 The first crop of potatoes to be Potato growing in the northern grown and harvested in Van settlement wasn’t all that successful, Diemen’s Land was planted from with two acres of potatoes only seed brought by Lt John Bowen to harvesting seven bags in 1806. By Risdon Cove in 1803. Records show 1807, the northern settlers that vegetables, including potatoes, abandoned farming and devoted were doing well1, although, by 1806, themselves to kangaroo hunting. there was a period of near famine as Patterson sought extra supplies and all potato stocks were required for asked for farmers to be sent to the seed. colony3. However, in 1807 there was a harvest of sorts, and although In the northern settlement, seed kangaroo meat was the staple food, potatoes were purchased from the potatoes were sold for 1s 6d a ship ‘Integrity’ in 1804 and planted pound3. by Col Patterson in his garden. What is believed to be first record of Van By 1807, the entire settlement was Diemen’s Land potatoes being eaten struggling for both food and order. was written by Patterson. “…my A Dutch cargo ship arrived in garden,…is nearly equal to what I Hobart Town in March of that year, left in Sydney….On the 18 January I and the entire settlement got so had peas, French beans, potatoes, drunk on the spirits landed that the turnops, greens and all sorts of small Reverend Knopwood was unable to salad…”2 perform divine service that week!3 View in Colonel Paterson’s Garden at Yorkton, Port Dalrymple, JW Lewin (1809) Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW 4 TASMANIA’S POTATO HISTORY The Van Diemen’s Land Experience 1803 - 1854 Things began to look up for the The 1840’s saw a depression in the settlers, and by 1809, there were 300 potato industry, with the crop acres in cultivation between the largely unsaleable. This was due to North and South Esk rivers, of the land clearing policy of the VDL which some was sure to be potatoes. Co. They offered tenants the opportunity to purchase or lease By 1815, 32,000 acres had been land from the company, and in alienated in Hobart, of which 135 return the company would buy all were planted in potatoes. At Port produce grown by the tenants at a Dalrymple, 5450 acres were fixed price. Given that potatoes were alienated with 33 acres planted in worth £5 5s per ton, there were soon 3 potatoes . a large number of crops planted, Farming in the colony was written leading to a glut on the market. about in Britain and Europe. “All the Unfortunately, many of the farmers fruits of England or France attain to in the Port Sorell district also grew great perfection in the open air ... increasing quantities of potatoes. [and] the vegetables are of The result was unsaleable crops, surprising growth ... parsnips, with thousands of tonnes dumped turnips and potatoes, often weighing into the sea. Van Diemen’s Land’s from one to two, and sometimes five farmers were struggling to survive pounds weight each, and averaging during this period of depression. 4 350 bushels per acre.” In fact, the Port Sorrell district was Agriculture continued to prosper, affected by the depression more than with the first recorded shipment of anywhere else. It was too dependent, potatoes from Van Diemen’s Land to like Ireland, on a single crop, Sydney occuring in 1826 when 26 potatoes. The potato market tonnes were sent to Sydney from the disappeared and they had no other north-west by the Van Diemen’s options. Land Company (VDL Co). Although Desperate measures were necessary. not recorded, it is believed that James Fenton, an early settler at shipments of potatoes were being Forth took a cargo of potatoes to sent from Hobart town to Sydney Melbourne. Whilst sailing up the 1 before this date. Yarra, he sold the potatoes to the The Sydney market continued to ships owner for £2 a ton. When the grow, and by 1827, Oyster Bay owner landed in Melbourne, the settlers were raising large crops of market crashed and the cargo was potatoes for this market. Total Van dumped into the bay! Diemen’s Land potato exports were The problems of oversupply of worth £1927 for this year. potatoes and the depression were The incidence of scurvy amongst the exacerbated by the arrival of 15,000 prisoners at Port Arthur highlighted convicts in Van Diemen’s Land in the importance of vegetables in the 1844. This led to a pauper diet. This led to the establishment of population – after stationing the a settlement garden, in which probationers building roads and potatoes, along with cabbages and bridges, there were still 6,000 3 turnips, were grown.