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Land ballots are a significant feature of Queensland’s rural history. During the 1950s to 1980s, the Queensland Government allocated almost 2 million hectares through selective balloting. Many of these ballots were for land in the central Queensland region.
This is how closer settlement was implemented for land that was difficult and costly to develop, in areas with minimal infrastructure and few services. The goal of closer settlement was to have undeveloped land farmed and grazing by small family-farmers, based on the ideal of sturdy and hardworking ‘yeomen’ who would create stable communities and develop civil society. The approach taken by government was similar to 20th century land settlement schemes in Australia and elsewhere, and it was based on the belief that land should be used more intensively.
Those who qualified to enter a ballot, and who won, could lease a block of this rural land. The lease came with many and challenging conditions. Ballots attracted those who dreamt of making their living off the land, or saw it as one of the few alternatives that would allow them to provide for their families, given their limited financial resources.
The stories from balloters and descendants of balloters in central Queensland capture the joys, challenges and achievements of these farmer-graziers, and the price they willingly paid to pursue their dreams.
The material for this book was drawn from a study conducted by the author as part of a John Oxley Library Fellowship. Study participants were from the Fitzroy Basin Land Development Scheme (Brigalow scheme), the Emerald Irrigation Scheme, the War Service Land Settlement scheme, and from the 1952 group lands legislation ballots. The personal histories, policy material and archival documents, provide insights into this era of rural history.
Latest:
On 8th May 2025 I self-published the historical non-fiction book titled, ‘Land ballots. The ‘gift’ with a price attached’.
Contact the author via the Contact page tab.
| The book price is $28 plus postage where this applies. It is available at: | |
| State Library of Queensland bookshop https://shop.slq.qld.gov.au/products/9781763873605?_pos=1&_sid=1059c3dff&_ss=r | |
| Post offices | Clermont, Capella, Springsure, Theodore. |
| Injune Tourist Information Centre | |
| Taroom Historical Society – Taroom Museum | |
| The Book Tree, Toowoomba bookshop | |
| Dalby Pioneer Museum | |
| Under the Greenwood Tree, Mt Tamborine bookshop | |
| Museum of Brisbane shop, Brisbane | |
The book is available in the following libraries:
- Central Highlands
- Western Downs
- Brisbane
I was awarded the 2018 John Oxley Library Fellowship, which is a prestigious State Library of Queensland award –https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/get-involved/fellowships-awards-and-residencies/queensland-memory-awards/john-oxley-library-fellowship/john-oxley-library-fellows#2017-john-oxley-fellowship-dr-jennifer-moffatt-card
The historical research project is titled: The story of Queenslands selectors. How those who won land in a ballot contributed to Queenslands social, economic and political development.
The aim was to fill a knowledge gap in Queenslands history and complement the history of pioneers, squatters and land development.
August 2018 I conducted 27 interviews with people who received land in ballots, their descendants or key informants. The focus was on recent land development schemes in order to hear directly from those who were successful in ballots. This is supplemented by archival research at the State Library of Queensland and the Queensland State Archives.
For an overview of the project see the 5 min Digital story which was shown at the 2019 awards ceremony:https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/get-involved/fellowships-awards-residencies/queensland-memory-awards/john-oxley-library-0#2018-john-oxley-fellow-dr-jennifer-moffatt
For an introduction to land ballots see the first blog: http://blogs.slq.qld.gov.au/jol/2019/01/16/land-ballots-in-queensland/
This is the link to blog 2 which is about the Brigalow scheme:http://blogs.slq.qld.gov.au/jol/2019/05/02/it-was-their-baby-land-ballots-and-the-fitzroy-basin-brigalow-development-scheme/
The 3rd blog reports material from the interviews and gives insights into being a balloter:http://blogs.slq.qld.gov.au/jol/2019/11/19/being-a-balloter/
In February 2019 I had the pleasure of presenting to the Local Studies Group who attended the State Library for the first of their meetings of the year.
On 8th August 2019 I did a public lecture on land ballots which included demonstrating a ballot box loaned to the State Library by the Museum of Lands, Mapping and Surveying-Queensland. Following the lecture there was a white-gloves experience where attendees could view the State Library collection of reports, photographs and family and local histories containing material on land ballots.
The link to the public lecture is:https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/get-involved/fellowships-awards-residencies/queensland-memory-awards/john-oxley-library-0#2018-john-oxley-fellow-dr-jennifer-moffatt
See https://www.facebook.com/LandBallots for an informal approach.