Courtesy of Trove Australian Town and Country Journal 13 August 1881
HAVING heard so much about the richness and fertility of the above locality, and desiring to see for myself what it really is like, I went, and was never more agreeably surprised in my life.
Some two hours after the time advertised, owing to the dilatory manner in which freight is sent, the fine steamer Lismore cleared out from the wharf and steamed leisurely towards the Heads. The night being clear we had a nice view of the harbour and passed the Heads shortly after 10 o’clock.
Nothing of importance occurred until next day about 10 o’clock, when we were off Evans Heads, and as we were an hour too soon for high water at the bar, the captain had the vessel hove to, in order that those who cared for fishing might indulge therein, and we succeeded in procuring three dozen schnapper and a blue groper, the latter being hooked by Mr. Rush, a commercial traveller from Sydney ; it weighed about 60lb, and in the absence of a garf had to be landed by means of a boat hook. Several lines of a very strong description and stout hooks were broken and carried away by some heavy fish, supposed to be sharks, and several good sized lobsters were obtained in following up the sport.
A portion of the haul having found its way to the cook house, we were shortly afterwards summoned to partake of it, to which justice having been done, we found we were nearing the entrance to Ballina—336 miles from Sydney Heads. The steamtug Francis Hixson came out to help us across the bar. There is often a feat performed here by the Lismore which would astonish Plimsol not a little, viz., a steamer drawing 8ft of water passing over the bar when there is only 7ft, or 7ft 6in of water. The tug having secured our warp, we steered for the bar, a very heavy lumpy sea being on at the time. Within a few lengths of the bar 15ft was called by the lead, then 9ft, 12, 10, and on the bar itself, 7ft 6in. With the aid of the tug and our own propeller we dragged, bumped, and scraped over into deeper water.
We are soon at Wigmore’s wharf, Ballina, and close to the wharf is moored the steamer Keystone, and on the raised deck-house of her is painted in large letters, “Wigmore’s Floating Cash Store.” Somehow, the name strikes us as being familiar, —taxing our memory we recollect Mr. W. Wigmore as having been for many years a storekeeper at Orange and Cargo. The store steamer has a wheel aft, and carries about 13 tons of general cargo. She trades on the different branches of the river and has proved a very great convenience to the settlers, conveying supplies to them and their produce to the Sydney steamers. Her general route is from Ballina to Wyralla on the North Arm, Deep Creek on the South Arm, and Emigrant Creek, for a distance of 16 miles. It is worthy of note that this creek, on which there is a great deal of settlement, has navigable water for steam launches from Ballina for 16 or 20 miles at a depth of 8ft.
Mr. Hunter has also a steam launch, called the “Winny,” trading on the different branches of the river, and being a well-known, much respected, and sometime resident on the river, he has secured a good trade.
There are loud complaints, and well grounded ones too, in reference to the disgraceful state of the roads around Ballina and, in fact, throughout the district wherever I travelled; and this, not-withstanding that there has been selection almost daily in the locality. As much as 40,000 acres have been taken up on the river within the last three months. It is rather hard lines for the Government to accept the money from the selectors and not provide them trafficable roads to carry their produce to market.
There was some commotion at Ballina in reference to the site of the Government wharf, the general opinion being that the site proposed was too shallow water and subject to the action of the tides, especially those of the North Creek.
A new Catholic church has just been completed at Ballina. A new public school is in course of erection, as also a teacher’s residence; and £5000 have been voted for a new court house. The town is low-lying and scattered. The pilot station and custom-house officers’ residence are commodious buildings. Mr. Easton is the pilot and Mr. W. Cahill the sub-collector of customs. Mr. Cahill has been 19 years in the customs department and was one of the first officers appointed to carry out the conditions of the Border Treaty Regulations between New South Wales and Victoria. The principal hotel, the Union, is kept by Messrs. Peter and Bernard Gray. It is commodious, pleasantly situated, and contains 27 rooms. It is the stopping place for commercials and those who visit the locality for change of air. There are two other hotels, one kept by Mr. Britton, a fine building and well fitted up, the other by Mr. Hamilton. It is needless to say that they all seem to be doing well. There are several stores in Ballina, the principal of which are Wigmore’s, Mobbs’s, and Harrold’s. There are two churches—the Church of England and the Church of Rome, and a School of Arts.
At Ballina, we first come upon the sugar-growing country, and the first farm we pass is that of Mr. Wigmore, containing 120 acres. The cane on it looks first-class; it has escaped the frost, is a first sugar crop, and ten months old, a sample of which I have brought with me, which, together with a sample of rice, arrowroot, corn, and “Lawyer Cane,” may be seen in the window of Messrs. Panter and Parry, 710, George-street, Sydney.
Gold (fine) has been frequently found on the beach at Ballina, especially after heavy storms, leading to a belief that there is a reef in the sea, and that the heavy tides work off particles of it, hence the presence of the precious metal. But the more knowing ones assert that it has been washed down from the ridges, deposited in the sand, and by the action of the tides becomes exposed to view. At Lismore we were shown by Mr. Coleman some very nice specimens of nuggety gold obtained on his land about five miles from Ballina. A meeting took place in Ballina while I was there, on the 26th of July, and I furnish you with a report:
A public meeting was held at Mr. Mobbs’s commercial rooms, on the above date, in reference to the burial ground and the bar or channel. Present: Messrs. Little, Smith, Coleman, F. Skinner, W. Wigmore, Easton, Ross, Anderson, P. Gray, F. Mobbs, H. Bowman, and Thomas Gray. Mr. Ross in the chair. Letters were read from C. W. Fawcett, Esq., M.L.A., member for the district, on the above and other subjects. Mr. Coleman moved that a committee be appointed, to consist of Messrs. Ross, Wigmore, Mobbs, P. Gray, Skinner, Easton, and the mover, three to form a quorum, to act on behalf of this meeting in procuring a sufficient site for a general cemetery, for the use of the residents of East and West Ballina and others, and that Mr. Ross be the medium of communication between the committee and Mr. Fawcett. Seconded by Mr. Mobbs, and carried. Mr. Wigmore proposed that the committee meeting be adjourned to Tuesday, the 2nd proximo. Seconded by Mr, Peter Gray, and carried. Mr. Clement proposed that the secretary be instructed to write to Mr. Fawcett acquainting him with the present state of the crossing inside the entrance to the Richmond bar, and urging him to move that a competent person shall be sent to investigate the matter, the greatest depth of water being only 7ft. Seconded by Mr. Anderson, and carried. The meeting then adjourned.
Ballina is a fine fruit growing country, well stocked with timber, and is the commencement of the celebrated “scrub” country. From Ballina to Wardell, a distance of 12 miles, is a pleasant trip; lofty trees, bright foliage, clinging vines, wild banana, raspberries, &c., with here and there a selection taken up and cleared, homely residences, sloping lands, cattle and horses grazing, the river placid and clear, tame and wild ducks, and a swan or two gliding along its waters, lend a very refreshing appearance to the place. Nearing that township, there is noticeable a number of large buildings, Messrs. James’s and Mr. E. Carter’s saw mills. The latter establishment is the finest on the river, and the machinery equal to any to be found in Sydney. The mill building and yard occupy an area of two acres. The motive power consists of 20-horse power nominal, and 10-h.p. vertical. The steam is supplied by means of two 20-h.p. horizontal boilers fitted with patent Galloway tubes. The machinery consists of one breaking-down frame carrying breaking-down saws capable of cutting down a log five feet square and 30 feet long; from this machine the fletches are conveyed to a large circular saw breaking-down wheel, which has a patent feed motion. The smaller fletches are then passed on to a second bench and run off into boards and scantlings. In a line with the saw benches are fixed two planeing and grooving machines, the first of which is used exclusively for making flooring boards. The second machine is an imported one, manufactured from Donal and Co.’s pattern. It will plane timber 15 inches wide and 5 inches thick, pressing the four sides, and tonguing and grooving at one operation. This machine is kept continually at work pressing partition boards, ceiling and lining boards, architraves and mouldings. In a line with the planeing machine is a gang frame, manufactured by M’Donald and Sons, used for cutting wide boards; it will carry 24 saws in one gang, cutting boards from ¼ inch thick to 24 inches wide. The saws being very thin and of light gauge, very little timber is wasted—a great consideration when working such light timber as cedar and beach, whilst indifferent timber is used for making boxes. By means of two swinging cross-cut saws the wood is cut into the required lengths. Tramways and cross-tramways convey the timber from the different machines. As sawn the timber is put into drying racks, seasoned for a month, before it is put into the planeing machines. It is afterwards carefully stacked undercover. The timber is rafted to the mill: a raft of 200,000 feet was lying at the mill at the time of our visit. At the rear of the mill is an extensive reserve of hardwood forest containing valuable timber, such as tallow wood, gum, bloodwood, &c. The woods mostly used at the mill are pine, cedar and beech. Most of the timber is procured above Lismore, excepting the beech, which can be obtained in the immediate locality. The demand for the timber exceeds the supply, although the production of the mill is 150,000 feet of dressed timber per month, besides a quantity which is sent away in the shape of case timber. Married men on the works have comfortable four-roomed wooden houses to live in on the ground. The manager has been employed there ten years. The best of good feeling exists between the employer and employed. Mr. Carter being a thoroughly practical man, and understanding every detail of his business, may possibly have something to do with this happy state of affairs. About forty men are employed in connection with the mill.
There are three hotels in Wardell, a court house, post and telegraph office, a number of stores, different buildings in course of erection, and a ferry will be established there in about a month’s time. The country around is very productive, and well adapted for farming properties. Mr. Carter, the owner of the mill, together with Mr. Beveridge, who are at present in Sydney, are the owners of extensive farms at Goolmangar, about twelve miles from Lismore, capable of producing more than sugar. As much as 50 bushels to the acre of English barley have been grown by Mr Beveridge at Goolmangar, also wheat; it is nothing new for the farmer to obtain there five tons of potatoes to the acre. Mr. John Beveridge, who resides at Goolmangar and, like Mr. Carter, holds a large interest in the district, has grown corn on his land which has yielded 40 to 50 bushels to the acre; they have also grown excellent hay, and upon my expressing surprise at seeing hay sent from Sydney to Lismore, they informed me that they could dispose of tons of it, but unfortunately there are no roads fit to take an empty dray over, much less a loaded waggon. The consequence is Mr. Carter feeds 50 head of cattle night and morning simply because there is no road to take his produce to market. That gentleman has taken a great interest in the district, and was the first to introduce a double-furrow plough, reaper and mower, as also a horse rake. The double-furrow plough excited a good deal of merriment, when first introduced into the district, amongst the selectors who had never seen anything like it; since that epoch, they have learned the value of the machine.
Both the gentlemen mentioned are now in Sydney, for the express purpose of representing to the Government the disadvantages they and others residing near them suffer, in consequence of their not having proper road communication. They have been on similar missions before and have done good service; as they will be backed up by influential personages, in all probability their mission may be productive of good results on this occasion.
The further we proceed up this river and approach the “big scrub” country, the more apparent is its richness. The soil will grow anything, and its only fault, if such it can be called, is that it is too rich. Various fruits, wild and cultivated, flourish to an amazing extent. But little heed had been paid for many years to the cultivation of the land, the great object being timber getting; the timber bringing, as it did, a high price and being easily obtained, was considered better than farming. Now that the price of timber has somewhat decreased, and wholesale selection being the order of the day, together with the advent of a host of dairy farmers from the Southern coast, besides practical selectors from all parts anxious to obtain some of this renowned scrub land, the timber getters, or the majority of them, will have to turn farmers, for selection of from 3000 to 5000 acres per week has deprived them of the privilege of forest-roaming. They are considerably incensed against the “Southerners,” as they term the coast people, but it is the best thing ever happened to them, for they will gain experience in farming and dairy life, which will be more profitable and beneficial to them ere long.
Leaving Wardell, we steer for Broadwater, six miles distant there being a continuation of pleasant scenery the journey all the way. This township has lately assumed an importance, through the expenditure of £100,000 by the Colonial Sugar Company, in the erection of a sugar mill, and their operations have been marked by a degree of activity and enterprise highly commendable. Ten months ago where now stands this imposing structure, just verging on completion, the grass was growing. The building is 40 feet high, constructed of timber with galvanised iron roofing; the chimney is 130 feet high, of hand-made bricks, excellently constructed and of a very attractive appearance. The works, &c., cover 20 acres of ground. The premises throughout are lighted with gas made on the ground; five of Sugg’s 100-candle burners are used in the mill alone, showing an intensely bright light; there are also barracks built for the employees which, together with their dining rooms, superintendent’s quarters, and other officers’ places connected with the mill, are lit with gas, the coal being obtained from Newcastle. About 230 to 240 men are employed when the mill is in work. The combined power of the machinery is 240 horse. Twenty composite punts have been constructed and are moored in the stream opposite the works, in readiness to bring the cane to the mill. Two steamers have been constructed to the order of the Company for towing the punts from the mill to the places on the river where the cane is grown. Commodious wharves have been constructed, and patent appliances for loading and unloading the punts are worked by steam. There is also a dock or slip where the punts can be taken up and cleaned. There is a post office on the works. The mill and its surroundings really form a township in themselves. The works have been carried out under the supervision of Mr. James Muir, whose name is as well known in connection with sugar industry, as the best brand of that article. He also supervised the erection of the Company’s works at Pyrmont, and elsewhere.