OPENING UP THE COLONY. 



eighteen for New South Wales proper and six for Port Phillip. 



During 1838 a weekly market and a brewery were established in 

 Wollongong, and were both doing a flourishing business. Mr. Fran- 

 cis Allman was Resident Police Magistrate, and Mr. H. A. B. Bennett 

 clerk at the court house, Wollongong. By advertisement there was 

 for sale at Wollongong 80 cows with calves at their side, 40 heifers 

 2 years old, 30 heiiers i year old, and 3 line bulls. These cattle were 

 of the pure Durham breed, and were in charge of Mr. Thomas Wil- 

 son for Mr. A. B. Spark, merchant, Sydney. 



In 1838 Mr. Abraham Polack, auctioneer, No. 2 Park-street, Sydney, 

 sold on account of Mr. William Hill, butcher, George-street, Sydney, 

 seven head of imported pedigreed cattle, including two bulls and two 

 cows of the Durham breed, two bulls and one cow of the Hereford- 

 shire breed. These animals were described by the auctioneer as being 

 true representatives of their respective breeds, and of high-class 

 auality. Mr. W. C. Wentworth was the purchaser of the lot at the 

 substantial figure 1243. 



In 1839-40 there was a severe drought in the Illawarra district, and 

 during this period a bridge was being in course of construction at 

 Daoto. Floods, however, occurred in 1841, and the bridge had to be 

 abandoned owing to the silting up of Mullet Creek. During 1842 

 Governor Sir George Gipips issued orders for the removal of the 

 stockades from Mullet and Charcoal Creeks to Wollongong, and from 

 thence to Sydney ; therefore any works incomplete had to be carried 

 out by local bodies, which had been appointed by the Government. 



In 1839 there were quite a number of auctioneers in Sydney, many 

 of whom had large places of business in the city. A few of them 

 combined auctioneering with a dealing business, and either imported 

 stock to the colony or purchased cattle brought out by captains of 

 ships and others as a speculation. A large business was in conse- 

 quence done with the settlers and others interested in the lands of the 

 colony. This led to the formation of the Australian Auction Com- 

 pany, with a capital of 250,000. The objects of the company was 

 to conduct sales of land and stock at usual rates, and import to the 

 colony stock of the most improved breeds from abroad to suit the 

 colony's requirements. Mr. Thomas Icely, of Coombing Park, near 

 Carcoar, was at this time recognised as being possessed of some of 

 the finest blood horses, sheep, and Durham cattle in New South 

 Wales, and his cheese was recognised as being equal to the best Eng- 

 lish makes. He sent down drafts of horses and cattle, and dray loads 

 of cheese to the Sydney market, which found a ready sale at 

 a satisfactory price. On the I4th of May, 1839, the Illawarra Steam 

 Packet Company was established, and the company purchased imme- 

 diately afterwards the s.s. Maitland and sent her on her maiden trip 

 to Wollongong in the June following ,and was well patronised by the 

 residents. 



In 1839 Mr. John Brown, of Windsor, imported per ship Pem'berton 

 Grange for Mr. Robert Brown, of Parma, near Shoalhaven, a consign- 

 ment of Durham cattle from the celebrated herd of Mr. Robert Jack- 

 son, of Berwick Hall, England. Dr. Alex. Osborne, of Wollongong, 

 imported a few Durhams by the same ship. 



At this time the county of Cumberland contained within its dis- 

 tricts many excellent dairy herds. Representative animals were to 

 be found o>f all the known breeds of dairy cattle in Europe, as well 

 as the British Isles. From about the year 1828 the various fanciers 

 were improving their herds. The Channel Isles gave the colony 

 some valuable specimens of their stock; but it is difficult to separate 

 the breeds as they came from those islands, as all the cattle coming 

 from there were called ' the St. Hellier breed." The Shorthorn, Long- 

 horn, Holderness, Lincoln Red, Devon, Hereford, Ayrshire, and Kerry 



43- 



