The Pastoral Industry

Australia's meat and livestock industry began in 1788 when the first fleet landed on the shores of Sydney Harbor. Along with British convicts and a few free settlers, Captain Arthur Phillip brought seven cows, a bull, a bull calf, 29 sheep and a handful of goats, pigs and poultry.

Now, there are more beef cattle in Australia than humans. Figures from the Cattle Council of Australia show there were 25 million head of cattle in Australia in 2004. This figure would be reduced due to severe drought conditions that has affected much of Australia the past 5 years.

Australia is the world's largest exporter of beef. According to Australia's Cattle and Sheep Industry 2005 Projections, about 995,000 tonnes of beef (worth more than $3 billion) would leave Australia in that year. Beef consumption in Australia is predicted to be upto 785,000 tonnes. Australia annually produces about two million tonnes of beef from 77,000 properties, with the most common breeds being Hereford and Brahman. The beef industry in SA has set it itself the challenging task of becoming a $1.2 billion industry by the year 2015, according to Primary Industries and Resources SA.

Outback SA - Beef is business

Farming practices in Outback SA are vastly different today than in years gone by as early white settlers were mislead by the abundance of fodder available and permanent waters. A devastating drought in the early years (1864-66) ruined the pioneers, but the completion of the Overland Telegraph Line in 1872 renewed interest and pastoral development continued beyond the Neales River.

The camel transporting business became the foundation upon which the pastoral industry could develop. When the railway came in the 18880's the camels moved north and the pastoralists benefited with easier access to beef markets and supplies.

It was in the 1880's that the Great Artesian Basin was discovered and particularly for those properties situated within the Basin,  this discovery resulted in major infrastructure development and with the railway head moving northwards it created great optimism amongst the pastoralists of South Australia.

This optimism was short lived with the reality of seasonal variations with many of the smaller properties being absorbed into the larger and more affluent runs. This is well documented (e.g. Wondillina and Cecelia Creek on Allandale) as these smaller runs were deemed no longer viable. Larger leases were considered to have a better chance of benefiting from the random but stock-saving summer rainstorms and this consideration is still widely viewed.

Between 1899 and 1927, up until the formation of the British colonial armies in the 1930s, pastoral holdings, like Allandale,  bred remount horses for the Indian Army in conjunction with their cattle breeding operations. These 'remount horses' were commonly known as Walers, as a large majority of the earlier consignments originated from New South Wales.

The 1930s saw the establishment of the shape, size and function of the pastoral properties' as we know them today.  Presently, these properties are closely managed operations. With the erection of extensive fencing and trucking yards, additional watering points which incorporate new technologies to support the natural water features on properties and the development of satellite communications,  these pastoral properties are some of the most viable grazing operations in Outback Australia.

Bibliography

Marla-Oodnadatta Soil Conservation District Plan

Outback Media Kit, South Australia Tourism Commission

The Oodnadatta Track - String of Springs