June 1950 School Magazine

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

June, 1950

June, 1950

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

THE PE'AK DOWNS FOOD-FOR-BRITAIN SCHEME For nearly a hundred years many fine sheep and horses grazed over the Peak Downs area. Every year the shearing sheds were full and the men worked hard to complete the shearing of the flocks. Then in 1946 large stations such as Peak, Magenta, Wolfang and later, Langton, were taken over by the British Food Corporation. The mana~ers of each station were permitted to stay on if they wished, but many families left the district after living in the homes of their ancestors for years. The scheme moved rather slowly in the early stages and for some time many Clermont and Capella people were un- aware of its existence. Grain sheds were erected within a mile of the township, Capella, and later on more were con- structed near the railway line towards Clermont. Many mistakes were made in the beginning and certain areas of land had to be ploughed many times. Many telephone poles were knocked down qt night by the large bulldozers which were in constant use. The scanty rainfall prevented immediate planting but this was done as soon as the rain did fall. The majority of the local people thought that the scheme was doomed to failure, owing to the condition of the country. However, by April the sorghum was growing at a rapid pace, and was beginning "to head". It was thought that the first large crop would be harvested in early May of 1949, but the work began some weeks later. All the headers were assembled ready to commence and for weeks the newspapers- especially "The Bulletin"- were full of pictures of the area . The harvesting began in the early morning, and without ceremony, as the large headers roared into action. The first paddock to be cleared was near Magenta homestead. Large trucks carried the grain to the sheds, where it was neatly stacked. Visitors were c<"nstantly seen driving past the sheds on their way to see the harvesting being done. Many were give:-1 rides on the headers, which came over the horizon working in groups of seven. They worked stripping the grain until they arrived at a stack of bags. The men emptied the grain from the containers into these bags. As each header moved on another drew level, a little further over. As soon as all the headers were gone the bags were taken to an awaiting truck. 31

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--- ]. ROGERS, Form IV.B.

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