The
rehabilitation of returned servicemen posed enormous problems. Many returned
servicemen required medical attention, others could not follow their pre-war
occupations due to health issues, and many had had no training in skilled work
before they enlisted. Many returned with the strong hope of settling on the
land.
The States and
Commonwealth combined in a land settlement scheme financed by the Commonwealth
and controlled by the States, who were to obtain the necessary land. The
settler was given money for equipment, but had to pay back this sum plus the
purchase price of the land, plus interest. Although the scheme was launched
with enthusiasm, it was to prove disastrous for many settlers.
At Campbelltown,
the dairy farming estate known as “Cransley”, owned by Mr Thomas Houghton, was
purchased by the government, and was cut into 36 poultry farms and two
administration blocks. Each farm was of an average area of 7 acres, and
included a three bedroom weatherboard house, feed shed, egg packing and
incubator shed, and brooder. A basic flock of laying hens and fertile eggs was
provided. The principal thoroughfare was appropriately named Waminda Avenue –
‘Waminda’ meaning comrade.
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| View of Soldiers' Settlement, Waminda Avenue, Campbelltown |
Soldiers
desiring priority in the selection of the blocks had to apply in writing to the
Director of Soldiers’ Settlement Lands. The soldiers and their families began
to move into their farms in about June 1919, but through bad organisation, many
did not receive their breeding stock until after the end of the breeding
season. Another setback was a defect in the design of one of the incubators.
The initial years were hard and although the farmers got over the worst part of
the season in September 1921, the winter of 1922 brought them down so much that
they had to ask for assistance, which although it was given, was not
sufficient. The inexperienced farmers were not prepared for the setback. In 1922 an enquiry was held into the
Settlement, which found that Government mismanagement had not helped, nor the
fact that this class of farming did not suit this part of the country. Although
the men were “triers” their initiative was not encouraged, and during the
Depression years, many farmers were forced to give up their holdings, and have
their places taken by more returned men, or take up other jobs and run their
farms as a sideline.
A few were
successful despite the odds, (see blog about Cransley and Bill Price), and in
fact continued to flourish as poultry farms up until the land was released for
residential development in 1959.
In 1960, the
Campbelltown Ingleburn News headlined “The end of an era”, with the closing
down of the last poultry farm in the Soldiers’ Settlement.
Written by Claire Lynch
Sources: Local History Pamphlet Files, Campbelltown Library
