HOMEIn the early 1890's, to assist the large numbers of unemployed in Adelaide the South Australian government created the 'Village Settlement Scheme'. Under this scheme any group of twenty or more person over the age of 18 could form an association which could then apply for settlement on crown land. Sites were chosen on the Murray between Morgan and Renmark at Waikerie, Holder, Kingston, Gillen, New Era, Pyap, New Residence and Lyrup Within eight weeks of the legislation being passed, fourteen Associations had been formed.
The Waikerie Village Association decided that the settlement would be organised as cooperative rather than a commune (as were the other villages) meaning that each settler could keep the proceeds from his home block, but would still be obliged to work on community projects, and abide by the decisions of the group. Each community had a Board of Management elected by the villagers which was answerable to the government and land was granted as leasehold.
The land chosen by the government as the sites for the Village Settlements of Waikerie and Holder was part of Waikerie Station which had been so named after the aboriginal name for the Giant Swift Moth (Rain Moth) tricenta argentata which was present in large numbers in the gums on the river flats after autumn rains. The station was so rabbit-infested that the leasee W.T. Shephard was forced of it by 1886. In some months the government inspector reported up to 10,000 rabbit scalps taken in the area. For information on Australia's battle with this introduced pest click here.
The initial party of settlers consisted of 68 men, 40 women and 110 children, and included 38 labourers, 3 carpenters, 2 builders, 1 farmer, 1 nurseryman, 2 bootmakers, 1 gardener, 2 engineers, 1 school teacher, 1 storekeeper, 1 blacksmith and 1 dairyman. Nunn 65 They travelled by train to Morgan and by paddle steamer from there, bringing with them a horse, 2 cows, 7 bullocks and 2 goats, arriving at the campsite chosen by an advance party on 28th February 1894.
The thousands of rabbits they encountered proved to be a blessing as well as a curse. Rabbits and fish were the main source of meat needed to supplement the weekly ration for one man of 10 lbs of flour, 10lbs of potatoes,21/2lbs sugar, 1/4lbs tea, 1 tin of jam,10lbs beef,1lb rice,1lb oatmeal, 1/4 bar of soap, 1/2lb treacle, 1/2 pint of vinegar, 1/2 lb dripping, one cake blacking, 4 boxes matches, 4 sticks of tobacco, and1 pint of oil which was halved for women, whilst children were allowed 4ozs sugar, 8ozs beef, 1lb potatoes and 2lbs of flour. The flour ran out in the first fortnight, necessitating a trip downriver to Mannum by the VS secretary to obtain a further 2 tons.
The initial camp site was near the lagoon ( where the football oval is today) against the advice of the relevant government official, the Conservator of Water , who recommended that it be moved to the higher town site. When the river rose in September, the campsite was inundated and much was lost.
View of Waikerie from the wheat silo during high river. The original campsite was in the left background
By May, a pump that was capable of lifting water 40ft and distribute 2 inches over 200acres every 10 days working two shifts of 8 hours. Work commenced immediately on irrigation channels which were to be lined so as to avoid the problems encountered by the settlers in Mildura. A quarry of freestone had been established and work had commenced on cutting stone and timber for building. A vegetable garden had also been planted.
However there was dissatisfaction in the village and in June 1894 J.C. Rowe the Secretary of the Waikerie V.S. sent notices of expulsion 'for rebellious conduct and conduct injurious to the well-being of the Association'. Nunn 100 The single men had become disgruntled because they considered that they were doing a disproportionate share of the work, much of which was for the direct benefit of the married men eg houses were being built for families first. Some of the married men considered that they were disadvantaged by the rationing system whereby single men were allowed an ration equal to that of large families. Apparently it was disputed that the difference between this allowance and what the men actually consumed should be credited to them in monetary terms. A 'breakaway' faction consisting of 11 single men and 7 married men had formed. The government inspector of village settlements who was sent to settle the dispute concluded that the main cause was 'selfishness on the part of the single men, who were afraid that the married men would have greater advantage than themselves' while conceding that the other faction was not entirely blameless. He was unable to reconcile the two parties and the breakaway group applied for and were granted permission to form a new village settlement at Ramco, several miles downstream.
There must have been disagreement as to how Waikerie V.S. was being run, as the Ramco Village settlers adopted the slogan 'Co-operation, not Communism' and incorporated it into their official seal. By contrast, the Waikerie Association had once insisted that two of their original settlers, Alfred and Susannah Lewis who had seven children at the time, hand over money that they had inherited. The lewis refused, choosing instead to buy land at Toolunka, before eventually moving to Ramco in 1902. Nunn:68 The Ramco settlers soon set up dwellings along the riverfront, and installed a pump which took a week to be moved from the steamer that delivered it to an adequate site using a horse and block and tackle. They benefited from their experience of village administration gained at Waikerie at Ramco was at first managed as a loose 'gentlemen's agreement' until in February 1898 they eventually drew up a set of by laws for the Village. Settlers could be fined for minor misdeeds such as abusive language, disobedience or leaving the village without permission, with fines being deducted from bonus distribution.
Typical block at Ramco with mixture of citrus and vines
A similar distance upstream, the Village Settlement of Holder was established on the 14th of March 1894. It closed in 1903 to be made available by the government for soldier settlement in 1919.
Holder Bend from Waikerie township
Despite this, in August 1895 ( a mere 18 months after arrival) a government report on Waikerie contained the folowing facts:
They had cleared and grubbed 600 acres, erected 41/2 miles of wire netting fences and 1/12 miles of plain wire fencing. They had completed 14 stone houses measuring 30ft by 14ft, 3 wooden houses, 20 chains of channelling and installed the pumping plant. They had planted 700 lemon trees, 4,000 young apricot trees 3,400 three year old vines and 2,000 other unspecified fruit trees. They had 27 acres under irrigation while 300acres had been sown to wheat and 7 acres of potatoes and 1/2 acre of onions were doingwell. Nunn:70
However, this bold attempt to give people a new start during a depression did not succeed. By the turn of the century, the total population of all the Village Settlements had fallen from 1000 in 1894 to only 513. The Associations at Murtho, New Residence, Gillen and New Era had dissolved and with the exception of New Residence had been leased by the government to private individuals in minimum blocks of 10 acres. The Village Settlement Act of 1901 brought an end to communal settlement. Village Association were formed into co-operatives under government supervision and given the right to sub-let commonage lands, and unleased horticultural blocks were advertised by the government. however the populations continued to decline and in 1904 Lyrup, Pyap, Moorook, Waikerie and Ramco had a total population of 350 which fell to 279 the following year when Pyap and Moorook were abandoned. Painter
The Waikerie Irrigation Area was proclaimed in 1910 and in 1912 the Waikerie Extended Irrigation Settlement consisting of the former Village Settlements of Waikerie and Ramco was proclaimed. This was further extended between 1919 and 1928 to include the former settlement of Holder which became a soldier settlement area. Waikerie Co-operative Producers was formed in 1914 to pack and market local fruit and supply growers with fertilisers etc. By 1915 2,500 acres were irrigated and the district was on the way to becoming the prosperous horticultural town oftoday.
