FIRST CENTURY OF DAIRYING IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 



King established dairy farms at Farramatta and South Creek, where 

 he introduced the best English-bred cattle. In 1806 the first cattle 

 -how took place on Sunday, July 13, at Parramatta. The Governor, 

 King Major J ohnston,- and, these being less strictly Sabbatarian 

 times Rev. Samuel Marsden were present, they being, besides King, 

 the owners of the 3000 head of cattle which were inspected. In 1807, 

 on account oi the large number held by the settlers, a Government 

 proclamation announced the discontinuance of the practice of leasing 

 stock. New settlements were formed for the disposal of Government 

 stock from time to time. In 1808 we read of the Rev. Samuel Mars- 

 den making a journey to England, to import a consignment of Norfolk 

 and Suffolk cattle. 



In 1805 an Alderney bull was sold by Mr. Simon Lord for 50. 

 The chief cattle raisers then were Rev. Samuel Marsden who had ihe 

 Red Polled Norfolk and Polled Suffolk Dun breeds ; Captain John 

 Macarthur, who had the Longhorned breed ; Major Antil, Captain 

 Kent, Major Johnston, and Captain King, who bred Durhams, Short- 

 horns, Devons, and Herefords. 



It is to Captain King the honor belongs of having established the 

 first model farm in Australia. It was situated adjacent to Pcirramatta, 

 and was kept a> an object lesson for settlers. In 1806 the first cattle 

 show took place on Sunday, July 13, at Parramatta. The Governor 

 (Captain King), Major Johnston, and these being less strictly Sab- 

 batarian times Rev. Samuel Marsden were present, they being besides 

 Captain King, the owners of the 3000 head of cattle which were in- 

 spected. On this occasion a present of seventeen cows was made to 

 the Female Orphan Institution at Parramatta. It was considered that 

 Mr. John T. Palmer's herd, which he kept on his Woolloomooloo sta- 

 tion, was one of the finest in the young settlement. 



In 1808 the Rev. Samuel Marsden returned from a visit to England 

 with a consignment of Red Norfolk and Suffolk Dun polled cattle for 

 his farm at South Creek. South Creek about this time contained 

 many herds of valuable cattle, among which was that of Mr. Tames 

 Badgery. On the Nepean River Mr. John Jamison had a valuable 

 herd of Devon and Hereford cattle, and Mr. Samuel Laycock had 

 possessed himself of a very choice Ayrshire herd, described as large- 

 bodied, red and white speckled animals. His farm was neair Seven 

 1 1 ills. Parramatta. 



^1809 brings Sir Lachlan Macquarie on the scene as Governor of 

 New South Wales. Macquarie wa-s notable for two things, viz. (a) 

 having either the fore or aft part of his name attached to anything 

 and everything- found or discovered during the eleven years of his 

 Governorship, and (b) the advancement of the colony by every means 

 Within his power. 



The arrival of Lachlan Macquarie as Governor in 1809 was a land- 

 mark in our farming story. Between 1810 and iSji, under his regime, 

 tin- number of horned cattle increased -from 12,500 to 103,000, or 800 

 IKT cent., while the population ran from 1 1, 500 to 29,500, clearly show- 

 ing the remarkable progress of stock raising. The passage of the Blue 

 Mountain Ranage. opening Bathurst Plains, and the discovery of the 

 district railed I'.ong Bong before Sutton Forest and Bcrrima were 

 lormed, gave an impetus to settlers, and those who had means started 

 for the new regions. It gave breathing room to a cramped com- 

 munity. It moulded a distinct type of settler, characteristically inde- 

 pendent. Leading Sydney merchants obtained large grants of land 

 in good spots ; small settlers were sent thereon, and received rations 

 in return for their produce, agricultural and dairy. By similar ex- 

 vhan.ue they obtained stork, which .sometimes came directly from ship's 

 Captain^, and to the order of the merchants. 



24. 



