Becoming A City: Agriculture & Food Production

Country life centres around dairying
By 1904, dairying was the predominant industry in the rural areas around Ipswich. The industry had started as a simple small-scale operation with cows milked by hand. Cream was produced on the farm by setting out shallow pans and butter was produced in hand-churns. The invention of the cream separator by Carl Gustave de Laval of Sweden was a major technological advance. It was introduced into Australia in 1881.

The equipment was initially relatively expensive and was installed in central creameries which separated the cream for all the surrounding farms. The Rosevale Co-operative Dairy Company was a typical example, opening in the 1890s with two large steam-driven separators which were used by 30 farmers. Others included Lanefield (established in 1890) and several smaller ones at Rosewood. However by the turn of the century, separators were becoming more affordable and individual farmers began to buy their own. Rosevale Co-op closed in 1908.

Dairying was an industry which suited small operators. All members of the family including the young children had to help with the morning and evening milking and the farmers made a moderate but reliable income. Larger operations employed a few labourers to help. Some farmers sold their product as milk, while others separated the cream and sent it to local butter factories.

Pigs became an important sideline as they could be fed the skim milk obtained when cream was separated. “Pig day” became a regular event at saleyards in country towns. [1]

In 1905, the estate of Woodlands at Marburg was auctioned. The Smith family retained the mansion and approximately 400 acres of land and they sold the mill to the Gibson family who were experienced sugar farmers and mill owners who operated Bingera Plantation near Bundaberg. The name was changed to the Marburg Sugar Company and local farmers were encouraged to continue growing cane.

In 1906, there were about 80 local growers including some at Glamorganvale, Thagoona, Haigslea and Tallegalla.

Good rains in 1906 produced a good crop and around 5500 tonnes were crushed. Growers at this time had an incentive. South Sea Island or “Kanaka” labour had been stopped after Federation and white growers were being paid a government bonus in compensation. This bonus ceased after five years and there was anxiety about whether local farmers would persevere afterwards.

By 1914, the answer was clear. Not enough farmers were willing to take the risk. Gibson demanded more definite local support including signed agreements from at least 50 farmers. If this was not achieved, he would have to shift the mill equipment to Bingera.

A meeting at Marburg debated the issue. Frost had caused problems with some cane crops, but other farmers had received high prices, more than twice what they had received from their other crops. A deputation visited Gibson and 50 farmers agreed to grow cane under an agreement.

This, however, merely delayed the inevitable. The mill closed permanently in 1918 and was dismantled. There are few reminders of the industry in the area. [2]