Land ballots. The ‘gift’ with a price attached

Guest blogger: Guest blogger: Dr Jennifer Moffatt, 2018 John Oxley Library Fellow.

Overview

Land ballots are a significant feature of Queensland’s rural history. During the 1950s to 1980s, the Queensland Government allocated almost 2 million hectares through selective balloting. Many of these ballots were for land in the central Queensland region.

This is how closer settlement policy was implemented for land that was difficult and costly to develop, in areas with minimal infrastructure and few services. The goal of closer settlement was to have undeveloped land farmed and grazed by small family farmers, based on an ideal of sturdy and hardworking ‘yeomen’ who would created stable communities and develop civil society. The approach taken by government was similar to 20th century land settlement schemes in Australia and elsewhere, and it was based on the belief that land should be used more intensively.

Those who qualified to enter a ballot, and who won, could lease a block of this rural land. The lease came with many and challenging conditions. Ballots attracted those who dreamt of making their living off the land or saw it as one of the few alternatives that would allow them to provide for their families, given their limited financial resources.

The stories from balloters and descendants of ballots in central Queensland capture the joys, challenges and achievements of these farmer-graziers, and the price they willingly paid to pursue their dreams.

The material for this book was drawn from a study conducted by the author as part of a John Oxley Library Fellowship. Study participants were drawn from the Fitzroy Basin Land Development Scheme (Brigalow scheme), the Emerald Irrigation Scheme, the War Service Land Settlement scheme, and from the 1952 group lands legislation ballots. The personal histories, policy material and archival documents, provide insights into this era of rural history. 

Notes on the book

The heart of the book is these balloter stories. The ‘gift’ of the ballot win was the opportunities this brought - getting a start, being your own boss, living the lifestyle of choice, and they hoped, being able to provide for their children. 

After the euphoria of having their dream realized, on arriving at their block they were confronted with a stark reality. Their first glimpse, of one large paddock and nothing else, was daunting. 

The price these balloters paid was what it took for them and their families to survive until their land became income producing. This was often high and some left. Retaining the land required meeting expensive and multiple lease conditions. Tree-clearing, fencing and dam building conditions came with specifications and deadlines. Much of the work required contractors who had the necessary machinery. This was costly and these people had limited funds. The lack of infrastructure – roads, electricity and telephones created challenges, with block-size and quality adding to this. This set of circumstances created personal and social costs. 

Balloters paid the price of their ballot win by working hard, working together and working smart. Neighbours helped neighbours, they built community facilities, set up groups. They were politically aware and acted strategically. They experimented, they innovated and they learned how to operate in this environment. 

The increased population due to balloters created a flow-on effect, such as increased the demand for employment and services which resulted in more rapid regional development than would otherwise have occurred. For the balloters who stayed it was the gift that kept giving. They provided for their children, and grandchildren, and prospered. They spoke of contentment. 

The introductory chapters position the balloters’ stories in the Queensland Government policy context of that time, and the key influences from beyond Australia. There is archival material on ballot numbers, the schemes study participants reported on, a map and how the study was conducted. The final chapter weaves the balloters’ story and the policy context together to show how these ballots and balloters fitted within the land development policy during this time. 

SLQ resources

The State Library's resources provided invaluable information for this book. The early government reports evoked the flavour of the government thinking of those times, which is very different today. The land legislation illustrated how these views were converted to policy and how these changed over time. The Queensland Government Gazettes provided information about the implementation of legislation and regulations. Images, particularly of the Fitzroy Land Development Scheme, captured the times, the landscapes, the equipment and the people. 

You can purchase a copy of Jennifer's book, and other publications by our past research fellows at the State Library bookshop.

Read other blogs from Dr Jennifer's John Oxley Library Fellowship project - The story of Queensland’s selectors: how those who won land in a ballot contributed to Queensland’s social, economic and political development.  

• Land ballots in Queensland
• ‘It was their baby’: Land ballots and the Fitzroy Basin Brigalow Development Scheme
• ‘You won a piece of dirt … but that’s where the lottery part of it finished’: the joys and challenges of being a balloter

Watch Jennifer's Research Reveals talk about the research uncovered during her fellowship.

• Research Reveals: Land ballots in Queensland