FIRST CENTURY OF DAIRYING IN NEW SOUTH WALES 



of the Keelcgues Estate, was elected first president, and R. M. 

 Westmacott, Esq., of Bulli, who was at one time A.D.C to his Ex- 

 cellency Governor Richard Bourke. was appointed hon. secretary. 

 The following gentlemen were members of the committee : Messrs. 

 Gerard Gerard, J.P., Chas. Throsby, Smitty Captain SheafTe, Messrs. 

 Michael Hindmarsh, Edward Palmer, James Mackav Grey J. P. James 

 Shoobert, J. R. Cummins, Dr. Menzies, Messrs. Miller, Way, and 

 Henry Osborne, J.P.. Drs. John and Alex. Osborne, J.P.. Dr. 

 O'Brien, Captain Addison, Captain Plunkett, and Messrs. George 

 Brown, James Robb, W. Warren Jenkins. The first show was held 

 in a house next to where the telegraph office stands, on Thursday, 

 27th January, 1845. The exhibits were gcocl, but the room being 

 too small, much inconvenience was felt. 



The first ploughing match took place on I2th January, 1845, in 

 Mr. George Brown's paddock at Dapto. The first prize valued at 

 2, was won by Mr. Thomas McKenzie, of Jamberoo. His neigh- 

 bour, Mr. Hugh Boyle, drove the bullocks. There was a large at- 

 tendance, and everything passed off well, according to report. 



Since the soc : ety was first established a show was held annually 

 for many years, although at times under great difficulties. Still, 

 by the perseverance and assistance of a few of its members it was 

 kept afloat, and is the oldest established agricultural society in the 

 colony, with the exception of the Farramatta A. and H. Society, 

 now known as the Sydney R.A.S. Amongst its most prominent and 

 staunch supporters under all difficulties in after years may be men- 

 tioned the names of Messrs. Chas. T. Smith, George Waring, George 

 Hewlett, H. J. Marr, S. D. Lott, J. R. Cummins, Evan Evans, 

 E. R. Evans,,: Andrew McGill, George W. Brown (hon. secretary), 

 W. Kirton, J. E. Wright, A. M'cKenzie, D. Aitken, Joseph Ritchie, 

 and Robert Howorth. 



In connection with these early shows in W'ollongong the cattle 

 were exhibited in the market square opposite Elliot's Farmers* 

 Hotel. The dairy cattle, including the progeny of Mr. Henry Osborne's 

 imported animals, which were exhibited on the first occasion for show 

 purposes, were admired by all who understood them. The same 

 was said of the horse stock, which included some very valuable 

 animals, and were paraded in the market square, which was fenced 

 up fcr the occasion temporarily. 



The Kiama A. and H. Society was established in 1847 by the 

 efforts of Mr. Nicholas Craig, of Kiama. He induced Mr. Hannibal 

 Hawkens Macarthur to become patr.on of the new society Dr. 

 Robert Menzies, J.P., cf Jamberoo, Mr James Robb, of Kiama, and 

 Mr. Michael Hindmarsh, of Gerringong, who had been on the com- 

 mittee of the Wollongong, Society, joined the movement, and Dr. 

 Menzies was the first president of the society. The first show was 

 held in what was known as Mr. William Card's brewery, which 

 was partly built, and stood on an allotment of land adjacent to the 

 present Freemason's Hall, between Collins and Shoalhaven streets. 



Mr. James Waugh was the first secretary, but as the position in 

 those days was an honorary one, the acting secretaries mixed up 

 their papers with their usual everyday business transactions, and 

 were either destroyed or lost. The writer is therefore largely in- 

 debted to the late Mr. Nicholas Craig, o-f Kiama, and Mr. John 

 Brown, of Brownsville, for much information on the mattter. 



After a few years (1857) the Dapto Agricultural Society took the 

 lead, with Mr. John Brown as hon. secretary, and we find newe- 

 men kept coming on the scene until i8(:o. when quite an array of 

 dairymen put in an appearance. It was at the Dapto Show in 1860 

 that" Mr. Andrew McGill exhibited l:is famous dairy Durham s 



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