THE RAINBOW TRAIL
NEW PRAIRIE STATION AND ROUND ABOUT
By 'Seagee'
Prairie Station, formerly about 500 square miles in area, was taken up as a
sheep station in the early times and for about 26 years carried large flocks of
sheep on its rich prairie-like lands. However, the decline in the prices of wool
and fat sheep towards the end of the sixties was so rapid that values for full
fleeced fat sheep only ran from 7s. to 10s. per head, so Prairie Station
abandoned sheep and stocked up with cattle and has remained a cattle
station ever since. About 1901 half the run was cut up into grazing selections
by the then Government and some of these selections, together with the old
homestead, were acquired by Mr. Montague Beak and his family.
A little over two years ago the whole of the old-time Prairie holding was
resumed by the present Government for the purposes of the Burnett and
Callide land settlement scheme. The Beak family, now The Beak Pastoral
Company, however, are still identified with Prairie station, for the company
holds under lease and occupation license a large area of their original holding.
Much of the land has been selected mostly as farm blocks, but the unselected
areas, until taken up, are all covered by the occupation licenses of the
company. The old homestead, situated about half-a-mlle from the Biloela
railway station was taken up some two years ago by one of the new settlers,
but about 10 miles away, close to Argoon railway station, in what was formerly
their bullock fattening paddock, a new Prairie homestead has been formed by
the company, 600 acres having been secured under a special lease for the
purpose.
Prairie, although shorn of much of its former glory by the selection of a
considerable area of its splendid fattening country, is still a cattle station
carrying a fair number, mostly of Hereford and Shorthorn breed, and a goodly
number of fats go forward each year to the Rockhampton and Brisbane
markets. It is on record where one experienced buyer of fat cattle, in
discussing with Mr. Morton, one of the original owners of the run, the breeding
of cattle, gave it as his opinion that half the breeding of the Prairie cattle went
down their throats, which was a neat way of praising the rich pasture lands
upon which they were fattened,
For a great many years Prairie has been noted for its breed of horses, bloods
as well as draughts. At the time of the station passing into the hands of tie
Beak family over 20 years ago they obtained with the property a good many
breeding mares, also young colts and fillies by the noted Foxborough, who
was bred by the late Sir Joshua Peter Bell at Jimbour. Others included in the
purchase were of the celebrated Trenton blood, whilst others again were by
Casket, another very high-class horse, all of whose stock were gallopers.
Some particularly good performers were by Casket out of Foxborough mares.
Since that time the Beak family, by the introduction of good blood, have kept
up the great reputation of the Prairie breed of horses. In the days when the
run was owned by Messrs. Skyring, of Baffle Creek station, Bundaberg, they
sent the bulk of their young blood horses as soon as they were weaned, up to
the Prairie to build up their frames, the coastal country not being in any sense
up to the standard of Prairie for raising horses.
The blood sires now in use on the run are the well-known Tressady King, who
has sired quite a number of likely looking youngsters — none of whom is yet
old enough to try out — and Kenzil by Kenilworth, who has sired a good many
winners, and has himself a good track record. Bowthorn, another successful
sire used, produced amongst other winners who brought fame to the Prairie
holding Silverthorn, Thornella, Senrah, and Secpos Thorn. Attention has not
only been given to the rearing of blood horses on the run. The more useful
draught horse has also found a place, and throughout the Callide Valley and
the Dawson Valley numerous farmers whom I have met, can attest the value
of the fine Clydesdale breed of horses bred and the generous treatment
meted out to them in their dealings with the Beak Pastoral Company as
represented by Mr. Robert Beak familiarly known as (“Bob”), the member of
the company who makes the Prairie his home.
MR. M. VAN ITALLIE
Mr. M. Van Itallie is a native of Holland who, about two years ago settled on
'Esperance,' his farm block of 222 acres situated on Callide Creek, adjoining
the farm of Mr. S. Anderson, of which I have previously written. A well, down
40 ft., sunk on a divined spot about 200 yards from the residence on this farm,
struck a supply of good water which gave by test a flow of 500 gallons per
hour.
About eighty acres of this farm consist of a rich alluvial pocket along the bank
of the Callide Creek, to which the farm had about half-a-mile of frontage.
About 40 acres of this rich soil, which, with irrigation or a good natural rainfall
supply, will grow anything, has been brought under the plough. Mr. Van Itallie
is a great worker and has adapted himself well to farm work. A variety of
crops has been grown on this farm, the chief of which of course has been
cotton. The first year’s crop consisted of 10 acres, some of which was late
planted, and altogether it gave only a fair return. The following crop of 10
acres was a good average crop and had the prospects of a fair return from
next season’s cotton crop been more promising, would have justified the
planting of a large area with cotton. However, it was decided to plant 13 acres
with cotton; the most of it was up at the time of my visit and gave promise of a
very good strike. Berkshire pigs are being raised, a pedigreed boar and sow
of that good breed having been obtained from the Warren State Farm. Two
breeding sows, with good litters, were in the styes at the time I was looking
over the farm and pig-raising should give a good return when the herd
increases so as to provide a monthly consignment of suckers or porkers for
sale.
MR. G. VIVIAN AND MR. J. B. HHIGINS
Messrs. G. Vivian and J. B. Higgins are two young men who hold adjoining
farm blocks on the Rannes-road in the neighbourhood of Prairie new
homestead. They both come from “down under”, the former from Brighton and
the latter from Kent, England. The areas held by these two settlers contain
220 acres and 236 acres respectively. Kroombit Creek passes through both
properties and, although it is a dry creek for the greater part of the year, yet
some of the overflow channels hold water for several months. It is the
intention, however, of both partners to have bores put down on their blocks.
This year 20 acres of cotton planted dry has made a better strike than last
year end another 20 acres is shortly to go in; provided the season proves a
good one and cotton prices are near the mark, a good return Is assured. The
20 acres of broom millet, and 25 acres of corn also to go in, should add to the
revenues of these enterprising young farmers.
MR. T. A. SCROGGS
Mr. T. A. Scroggs, of 'Ballanglanna', which consists of 223 acres of forest land
adjoining the farm of Mr. J. B. Higgins, is making his first venture in farming
after following for many years the more arduous calling of a miner. Water is
obtained on this farm from a good permanent hole in Kroombit Creek, to
which there is a frontage of about half a mile. A frontage to the well known
Bonnor's Lagoon, another splendid waterhole, which is seldom dry at any time
of the year, assures a plentiful supply of water. The name of Bonnor was
identified with Prairie station in the very early times when it was owned by
Messrs. Morton, Bonnor, and Street; also with the early name of the township
on the Dawson River now known as Taroom, for at the time of the dreadful
massacre of the Fraser family by the blacks that historic little town was called
Bonnor's Nob.
Mr. Scroggs has 50 acres of the farm cleared and although the 16 acres of
cotton he grew last year, owing to late planting and a heat wave, gave only a
small return, he is now planting 24 acres of the same uncertain little plant.
Corn and potatoes are also to be cultivated so as not to be entirely dependent
on cotton. Last season two Acres of cotton planted early, gave good return,
whilst another seven acres (late planted) made a poor showing. An irrigation
plant is to be secured shortly, which will make this enterprising farmer to a
great extent independent of the seasons. Mr. Scroggs is the chairman of the
Callide L.P.A. and also of the school committee and is well to the fore in all
movements for the advancement of the district, and particularly of his own
immediate neighbourhood. Callide, in common with other centres in this
valley, has raised a considerable amount of funds for the Wowan Ambulance
and Mt. Morgan Hospital.
“The Capricornian” 23 October 1926 p26