The survival of  the early colony depended on successful agriculture. This section tells a range of stories about Australia’s rural and regional development. Using early pastoral families' manuscripts to published agricultural journals and farming magazines, from early land grant maps to water conservation reports, from photographic documentation of country life to printed accounts of agricultural shows and regional events. 

Australian agricultural and rural life

Anderson Bros. Newstead. Glen Innes N.S.W.
c.1860s
Anderson, P
Digital ID: 
a1528203
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H.E.I.Cos Depot. Bungarrabbee [i.e. Bungarribee] N.S.W.
ca. 1847-1852
T. Rider
Digital ID: 
a3061002
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Horse powered wheat thresher on "Woodville" - Junee, NSW
Digital ID: 
bcp_01243
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Haystack building at Lorenzo Marantelli's farm - Finley, NSW
Digital ID: 
bcp_06010
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[David Hazlewood? putting explosives in base of stump during clearing of his Devon farm, Epping]
ca. 1911-1916
Hazlewood, Rex
Digital ID: 
a1528310
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Sheep show at the Showground
1930s?
Hood, Sam
Digital ID: 
hood_06742
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Milking the cow at the family farm "Willow Bank", Eugowra - "Willow Bank", Eugowra, NSW
c.1930
Digital ID: 
bcp_00414
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Les Pampling, sleeper splitter, Hastings District wedges sleepers from the log and trims with great skill with broadaxe
1949
Bechervaise, J.
Digital ID: 
a377002
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Butter packing, showing butter extruded in [butter box size] cubes
1949
Digital ID: 
a394001
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Elizabeth Macarthur
Digital ID: 
a2409001
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William Cox
1830
Rodius, Charles
Digital ID: 
a928934
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The Story of grapefruit (citrus paradisi) : formerly known as "the Forbidden Fruit" or "the Fruit of the Garden of Eden" with special reference to its cultivation and marketing under Australian conditions.
1937
Melbourne : Victorian Central Citrus Association
Digital ID: 
a3003001
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Milk recipes
1930?
[Canberra : Canberra Dairy Society Ltd].
Digital ID: 
a3031001
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192 of the best recipes for rice : the food of the people.
1950?
Leeton, N.S.W. : Rice Marketing Board for the State of N.S.W., [1950?] (Sydney : H.G. Nall.)
Digital ID: 
a3006001
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Eggs from every angle : the Ovo recipe book.
1935?
[Ballarat, Vic. : J.S. Vickery & Son]
Digital ID: 
a2132001
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Sponsors

This story has been developed with the support of the State Library of NSW Foundation.

We would like to acknowledge the generosity of the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation.