The Early Days of the Veteran Area

(In the early 1900’s a series of articles was published in the Gympie Times and Mary River Mining Gazette which reported on farming and grazing in the Mary Valley. These articles are an invaluable resource for researchers interested in our farming pioneers. This is an extract from one such article. Many well-known families can be found in this report. Further extracts from this article will follow.)

Farming and Grazing.
NO. IX.
VETERAN AND ENTERPRISE ROADS AND DEEP CREEK.
(By Our Special Reporter.)
“The shortest way from the Post Office to the Enterprise and Veteran roads is along the Horseshoe Bend, and across the railway line at what used to be known as the “second gate-house.” A short distance further along we pass the old site of the Magazine, before it was removed to Traveston, and after descending the ridge.

applied liberally to the ground, but most of these areas are now under grass. A few pigs are raised and a good number of poultry, including English and Indian Runner ducks. The whole area, some 60 acres in extent, is divided into four paddocks. (Author’s note: It is interesting to note that the land farmed by Mr Kauper and Mr Richard Edwards is now the subject of the Gympie Pyramid. Controversy.)

Opposite the last property is a 5-acre block, on which lives Mr. Joe Myers, who is mining on the Monkland. Mr. George Preston, who has just been elected as one of the representatives of No. 1 Subdivision of the Widgee Shire Council, is laying the foundation of a pure-bred poultry and duck farm. His land has a nice slope, with frontage to the creek, near which the duck house is situated. The water is fenced with wire netting on both sides of the creek and divided, so that the Indian Runners and Pekin ducks can be kept separate when desired. The buildings and improvements are still in an unfinished condition, but Mr. Preston has already got some first-class birds. Brown and White Leghorns, Spangled Hamburgs, and Black Minorcas are the strains at present kept. On the flat two acres are to be put under cultivation and in a few years, Mr. Preston intends to make the “Rocky Ridge Poultry Farm” a place worth visiting.

At the turn off from the Cootharaba Road on to the Enterprise Road. Mr. R. Naylor is living on the right and the next house is that of Mr. Holme’s, after which is Mr. Kerridge’s. We then come to the property comprising 32 acres which is owned by Mr. Wm. Galbraith. who also has 160 acres of freehold land at Brookleigh. This is the prettiest house on this road with an orchard of oranges, plums, apples, figs, and other fruit trees in front. The land has been well cleared of timber and undergrowth, leaving only sufficient trees for the necessary shade. The place is called “Bareville,” and was purchased about three years ago from Mr. John Cecil. Eight cows are milked twice a day, and the calves hand reared, the cream being sent to the factory. Fresh buildings, except the house, are being erected, and the milking bails have already been concreted. The ticks are not very numerous now, but whenever they are seen, the cows are hand washed. When the red water was virulent nearly the whole herd at Brookleigh was swept off.

 This story was written by Denise Juler 

Sources:  Trove; GFHS Research Collection;