Australian History

[DrDuck]

Thanks, Bob,

I've had a big steak, two Martini's and a bottle of red. Tomorrow I've got to head to Sydney to see the motherinlawasauras, so I'll have to put a question up tomorrow evening or Sunday...

 

[DrDuck]

Hmmm, forgot that I posted that last night!

Here is a new question...

I am probably the last of my kind, and am still at it. I have a facebook page dedicated to me.....

 

[DrDuck]

Hint - I'm a member of a venerable group, and have been romanticised in poetry and song.

 

[Balmain Bob]

I was thinking along the lines of the last Bullock team, but there appears to still be a few of them about

 

[DrDuck]

Not a million miles away, Bob. I remember seeing a story on Bill Peach's This Day Tonight about one of the last bullockies still dragging logs out of the forest on the north coast. He was a tough old bloke whose remedy for any sickness was a table spoon of kerosene and sugar! You would need a beer and a couple of rums after that.

 

[Balmain Bob]

I once accidentally swallowed a mouthful of petrol when I had a heavy cold, blocked nose and sore throat and within an hour the nose was clear , the sore throat gone and the head cleared. The only draw back was that for the next 3 weeks all that I could taste was petrol. So there might be something in the kero

Back to the question

What about Campbell the Swaggie? Believed to be the last swagman still on the road.

http://www.abc.net.au/local/videos/2011/02/21/3144731.htm

There is plenty of stories about him on facebook.

 

[DrDuck]

Good get, Bob, that's close enough... I had in mind Grant John Cadoret, who has been a swagman since 1977.

Here is a link about him, and a link to the facebook page about his wanderings.

http://simplelives.com.au/meeting-a-modern-swagman/

https://www.facebook.com/John-The-Jolly-Swag-Man-1509444032670799/

Over to you, old mate...

 

[Balmain Bob]

Thanks Doc

Here is the next question

This event happened for the first time in Australia in 1906.

It took place in South Australia

Today most people take part in this event .

To some, it is seen as a coming of age event.

What was it ?

 

[PabloP]

Australian Mens Interstate Golf Teams match, meets the base criteria, but can't see it matching most people take part in this event, so will keep looking.

Rob.

 

[goldtruck59]

state elections began ?

GT

 

[DrDuck]

Was it the first referendum on Senate elections, essentially to synchronize senate and house elections. South Australia topped the vote in support of it?

 

[Balmain Bob]

Sorry Pablo, GT and DrDuck

You are all incorrect.

Think on a more personal level.

 

[Zorgs]

I was thinking driver's license is around that time and seems to sort of fit your description?

 

[Balmain Bob]

Well done Zorgs

The first drivers licence was issues to William Hargraves on 30 August, 1906 in South Australia.

http://alldownunder.com/aus/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=521

Over to you

Bob

 

[DrDuck]

Great question, Bob...

 

[Balmain Bob]

Thanks DrDuck,
Ive started keeping a file on little obscure facts that I come across while researching question or just surfing the net hoping one day to be able to use them here or up the pub but Im no Cliff Claven. All my facts are true :lol:

 

[Zorgs]

Ok, I'll give this a go and keeping with a local theme for me;

In the early foundation of a colony, what did South Australia do ensure an adequate supply of labour for land owners?

This was something first adopted in SA.

 

[DrDuck]

Was it the practices of encouraging free settlement, where land should be bought not granted, and bought at a sufficient price both to ensure an adequate supply of labour by preventing potential labourers from acquiring land too quickly, and to provide the funds for assisted emigration. There was also a preference for young, fit families as assisted emigrants, to ensure a balance of the sexes?

 

[BigWave]

As a non-penal colony, they had to find other ways of ensuring labour, so it was set up as a social experiment. Was worth saving for the land that was not in an area of convicted bread loaf thieves!

 

[Zorgs]

You got it DrDuck. I was getting worried my first question broke this thread!

Land was sold at a fixed price per acre.The proceeds of sales were put into free passage for possible employees to SA. The issue with some of the older colonies granting land; it was so cheap employees would leave their employer and buy land.

Over to you.