Desert Harvest History: No Place for a Woman3F
March 7 2010
National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame, Alice Springs
Commemorating the role of women in food production in Central Australia. ‘Primary Industry’ in Central Australia has taken many forms over the years – from wild food harvest, homestead and market gardening and farming for family sustenance to large commercial grazing and horticulture businesses. Traditional Aboriginal lifestyles relied on use of the land in its entirety for survival; and the predominant land-use in Central Australia continues to be large tracts given over to grazing. Adaptations to the desert environment in the form of niche horticulture crops and business enterprises that partner food production are also growing in number and importance. Lifestyles of all Central Australians, Aboriginal and more recent settlers, have changed over the years. The desert harvest stories depicted in this display reflect this in the way the characters, settings and creative enterprises have varied over time. However the end results have a common thread – country once viewed as ‘the dead heart of Australia’ has given generously in the form of a relatively bountiful ‘desert harvest’. 0A
Desert Harvest History – No Place for a Woman?
The language of farming
Living off the Land: The longest continuous women’s harvest story Pre-contact Era – to 1860s
A Line in the Sand: The Telegraph Line as an agricultural corridor The Overland Telegraph Line - 1870s
Introduced animals and plants arrive in CA
A Drovers Dream: Women in the stock-camp
Pastoral Settlement – 1880s First commercial animal production
Undoolya Station - 1870s and beyond - One of the first stations to be established in the NT
Women Station Owners - Various - Women as landowners in their own right
Government Support for the ‘Desert Harvest’ - Animal Industry Branch (AIB), CSIRO and Desert Knowledge - 1960s and beyond - Government funded support for primary industries
The Desert Provides: Water, Gold and Gardening - Increased regional development eg mining – 1880s Increased population / changing needs – the beginning of the hospitality industry
Settlers, Stores and Sustenance: The women who started Stuart - Establishment of the town of Stuart – 1890s Food and accommodation houses in town
Following Flynn: Now it’s a place for women - Stuart turns ‘family friendly’ – 1914 and beyond - First commercial agriculture / health and education services begun
The Farmer takes a Wife: The female population of CA keeps on growing - The Arrival of the Ghan and CA Government - 1929-30 Improved travel and facilities attract more women to Stuart – renamed Alice Springs in 1933
Women and the War: Making a mark in a man’s world? The War Years – 1939-45 - Feeding the army / soldier settlers
Chooks, Children and Charity: All in a day’s work for a woman - Post War Years – 1945-60s - Development opportunities
Improving Conditions for Country Women: The Acclimatisation Society and the Country Women’s Association (CWA) - Various - Support for rural women
The Farm Area - 1940s and beyond - Commercial animal production and agriculture - in the town water basin
Ti Tree Farms - 1970s and beyond - Commercial animal production and agriculture - outside the town water basin
Making Hay while the Sun Shines: Agriculture in CA Blooms - The Swinging 70s-80s - Commercial animal production and agriculture - Niche markets
Industry meets Ingenuity: Windows of Opportunity
Towards the new Millennium – 1990-2000 - Commercial animal production and agriculture - diversification
To everything there is a season : New takes on old themes - Beyond 2000 - Modern Women in Animal Production and Agriculture in CACommercial animal production and agriculture - Looking to the future
Still pioneering …
2000 and beyond - Young modern-day pioneers
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