About this record

This two-page memorandum from the Prime Minister’s Department, dated 23 September 1926, concerns the Beerburrum soldier settlement scheme in Queensland. It was written to brief the Prime Minister after a member of the Beerburrum scheme sent a telegram requesting Australian Government assistance. The memorandum provides a history of the soldier settlement scheme at Beerburrum, indicating that many soldiers settled under the scheme had not been successful in farming the land and were experiencing distress. It also explains the shared responsibilities of the Queensland and federal governments and describes correspondence between the two governments regarding assistance for the settlers.

Educational value

• As soon as Australian soldiers began returning from the First World War (WW1), governments saw the need to recognise their contributions and to ensure that they had a source of income in civilian life. The first soldier settlement schemes began in 1915 and continued for many years after the war. 
• Under the schemes, returned soldiers were eligible to apply for an allocation of land at minimal cost. They were also given financial assistance to help them establish their properties for farming. They were required to clear and fence the land, build themselves houses and plant crops (mainly pineapples in Beerburrum). By 1923, more than 23,000 returned soldiers had taken up settler blocks – most being former Australian Imperial Force (AIF) soldiers who had served in WW1.
• The Beerburrum soldier settlement scheme was established just north of Brisbane in 1917. Covering over 56,000 acres (26,600 hectares), it was the largest in Queensland. At the scheme’s peak, almost 1000 residents lived in the area, which centred around a railway station, shops and a school. The small allotments of land given to the soldiers, however, made it difficult for them to make a living. The scheme ended in the late 1920s when most (though not all) of the soldier settlers moved away.
• The experiences of soldier settlers did vary considerably. Many were able to make a good living and remained on their land (which, in some cases, is farmed by their descendants today). But for others, farming soldier settlements was challenging. Factors that contributed to difficulties included the inexperience of the settlers, the size of the land they received, a lack of capital, and fluctuations in the agricultural market.
• Responsibility for establishing soldier settlement schemes was shared by the federal and state governments. The land to be settled was provided by the federal government—either carved off from Crown land or purchased for the purpose. By 1924, this amounted to over 24 million acres (97,000 square kilometres) across Australia. The states were responsible for liaising with returned soldiers and allocating the land packages. As the Beerburrum memorandum suggests, the division of responsibility between the states and the federal government was sometimes unclear.
• Most Indigenous men who had served in World War I were not eligible for soldier settlement blocks. At the time, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples did not have the same citizenship rights as other Australians. For some, their situation became even worse when their traditional lands or settlements were included in the Crown land set aside for the soldier settlement schemes.