General Progress Reports

1910

KANGAROO ISLAND.

A writer in the latest issue of the Kangaroo Island 'Courier' says: — "To any one acquainted with the country three or four years ago, the progress in the new hundreds of MacGillvray and Seddon is very noticeable; and together with the amount of work done in the southern part of the hundred of Newland, is an indication of industry of the settlers. It is also evidence of the fact that the Government and the local governing bodies are doing something for the new settlers. The jetty at Vivonne Bay has been commenced, and will, when completed, be a fine structure, about 1,000 ft. in length. Miles of newly-cleared roads are constructed, and several small timber bridges have been erected. The most pleasing feature, however, is the extent of cleared land in the once, unbroken scrub. 

Commencing at the Eleanor head station, where Mr. O. V. Roberts is busily clearing and improving his holding, and travelling past Kaiwarra, Lake Ada, Hawk's Nest, and White Lagoon the improvements are very extensive. At the Eleanor River several hundred acres of scrub have been rolled down, and over a part of the area the stubble shows that a very fair crop was obtained at the last harvest. Mr. P. Anderson's farm, which adjoins the Eleanor River holding on the north, is showing the effects of solid work, and a new residence is being erected on a nicely-cleared part of the farm, surrounded by gum trees and sheoaks. 

Between the Eleanor River and Kaiwarra estate Mr. A. Lloyd has cleared a fair-sized area of scrub land, which will be ready, for the plough next season. At Kaiwarra there is a considerable area cleared for cultivation, and a stack of about 80 tons of hay, near the homestead, represents the first harvest. On the flats to the west of the homestead several acres of potatoes are making good growth. 

Not far from Kaiwarra Mr. Whitto has cleared a fair-sized piece of land, and is getting it ready for the plough, having first taken the yacca gum from the trees. 

Overlooking Lake Ada, Mr. Ford has erected his homestead, and started the battle with the scrub. A lot of new fencing has been done, and shortly the whole of the section will be fenced in. About 100 acres of clearing meets the eye where but lately was dense scrub. 

At Hawk's Nest there has been remarkable development during the last few years, and now several acres of cleared land extend round the homestead, and a great deal of it is well grassed, whereas before the property was farmed there was less than 100 acres cleared. This property is showing the effect of systematic working. 

At Messrs. Smith and Sons' and Mr. Ayris' many acres of scrub land have yielded to the plough, and the grass is rapidly following the cultivation. 

White Lagoon, one of the older settled parts, is the centre of a great deal of development, and on all sides patches of cleared land can be seen. 

To the south east Messrs. Robertson and Cooke have been clearing their farms. South-west is Mr. Badman's holding, and on the northern side are Messrs. Reid & Co.'s and Mr. Weber's farms and the Eucalyptus Company's property, on all of which a lot of clearing has been done. This part of MacGillivray has received more attention than the rest, and is proving that the scrub land can be profitably farmed. 

West Of Birchmore Lagoon, and on Mr. J. Dewar's section, a considerable area has been cropped, and some in the north-eastern part of the hundred. The returns from,most of the cultivated land at the last harvest were very satisfactory. Not many years will elapse before the greater portion of MacGillivray and the southern parts of Seddon will be under cultivation or will be well grassed, and returning the farmers hand-some profits.

1910

His Excellency the Governor, who opened the new Kingscote Jetty on Monday, was given every opportunity by the residents to obtain some idea of the productiveness of the settled portions of Kangaroo Island. 

The farming community resent keenly the suggestions of the Premier that the country does not merit a developmental policy, and were determined that His Excellency should have occular demonstration that the land is capable of great things in an agricultural sense. The new jetty on Monday bore some resemblance to the orthodox country show, for it was lined on both sides for a considerable distance with the products of the district of Kingscote. The yacca gum industry, which is so much prized that the Nord Deutscher Lloyd has erected a large shed for the storage of the product, was represented by large yacca trees. Magni-ficent sheaves of wheat, barley and oats, taken from growing crops, testi-fied to the capabilities of the land. Mr J. Turner, a well-known farmer of Smith's Bay, 16 miles out from Kingscote, exhibited some wheat standing over six feet high, magnificent samples of barley, oats and rape, and some of the barley (grain) with which he beat all-comers in an inter-national show in Great Britain. Mr S. Buck had a display of wheat, barley and oats grown at Shoal Bay. Mr A. C. Burgess, of the Hundred of MacGillivray, exhibited 'Gallant Hybrid' wheat going 25 bushels to the acre, Algerian oats which had cut 4 tons to the acre, and Federation wheat which promises to yield 25 bushels. 

Other exhibitors of cereal crops were Messrs M. Chirgwin, of the Bay of Shoals, O. S. Smith, and R. Chapman. The latter has a pad-dock of 60 acres under barley which is expected to yield 50 bushels per acre. Vegetables — huge cabbages, beans, and onions — were shown by Messrs W. Bates, of Emu Bay ; J. N. Davis, of Highgrove ; and M. Chirgwin. During the afternoon His Excellency was driven to Smith's Bay, 16 miles from Kingscote, where he saw a crop of barley, level as a billiard table, giving promise of 50 bushels to the acre. This crop, grown by Mr J. Turner, was put in only last August, and its remarkable growth is attributed to its having escaped the heavy rains which spoilt some of the earlier sown crops. On the whole fanners at Kangaroo Island will not realise such good returns as they have done in past seasons. The rainfall this year has been phenomenal, with a record of 38 in., or just about double the average. Several times crops were flooded, and many never recovered from the excessive dampness.— ' Register.'

1928

KANGAROO ISLAND.

Some Fine Farms. A Splendid Season.

II. By G. R. Laffer.

. . . 

The Turner Family.

Apart from the fact that you pass some of the best farms and farmland on Kangaroo Island on the way to Smith's Bay. I was particularly pleased that the doctor took that route because I met an old friend in Mr. George Turner, a son of one of the most respected pioneers on the island, Mr. George Turner, sen. The Turners are held in the very highest esteem by a range of friends far wider than the island. John and George Turner, now nearing the evening of a long and splendid pioneering life have done much to make the island what it is. Mr. George Turner, jun., was busy putting up a fence on his farm on the roadside. Like all the successful farmers here he works hard, and the result is to be seen in the general condition of the property. "A splendid season; we have never had a better," was his comment. This was borne out by the capital condition of the crops. They are of course much later than on the mainland. One of the features of farming on the island is the way they have dropped barley for wheat during the last two years. One of the agents told me that about equal quantities of wheat and barley were shipped last year. The reason is that wheat prices are more staple, and do not fluctuate so much as barley prices.

. . . 

Splendid Farmers.

In descending one of the Wisanger Hills a glorious vista of Shoal Bay opens out with the Spit and the Mainland, and the Penneshaw Hills clearly before one. At this angle one looks straight through Backstairs Passage. North Cape, which is the most northerly point on the island is here clearly seen. This was the property of the late Mr. Richard Chapman, one of the pioneer settlers of the island. It is now divided between Mr. Noske and Mr. William Chapman, both splendid farmers. Mr. Chapman also works land at Shoal Bay, and has recently taken up a fairly large holding on the Upper Cygnet, and is sparing neither labour nor money upon its development. It was here that I saw in October, 1928, ten months after he had taken the land up, subterranean clover equal to any I have seen in any part of the State. Mr. Chapman goes in largely for sheep, and it does one good to have a talk with him. His wonderful faith in the island land and the way he backs his opinion with money and hard work make one feel that he is sure to succeed. The flocks on the island are yearly increasing. I understand there are now over 60,000 sheep, all held by farmers who are fully alive to the value of new blood. I met a number who are coming up to the ram sales which are held during show week.

Thrift and Hard Work.

When one sees what is being accomplished by thrift, determination and hard work, and realizing the possibility of ex-tension, it seems a thousand pities that so many young men should be wasting their time tramping the city streets singing "Solidarity" and suchlike rubbish. However, time is a great revealer, and the lesson has to be learnt, and the day in which it is learnt is the day on which prosperity will again set in to the State. They are having a splendid season on the island, considered the best for years. For this time of the year, feed is good, and the crops look excellent. Lambs are to be seen in every direction. Altogether the people are full of confidence. It is hoped that the spring rains will be sufficient; if so, it should be a wonderful year.

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