NORTH AUSTRALIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 July 1928, Page 3

NORTH AUSTRALIA

NEED FOR DEVELOPMENT.

The first report of the North Australia Commission emphasises the rich resources of this great area and the urgent need for its settlement. Its tardy development, the report says, could not be attributable to lack of natural resources. In any case, it was incumbent that the great pastoral lands should be settled if some other nation was not to establish itself in Australia.

Dealing with the practical utilities ssential to development, the report states that the railway from Darwin to Emungalan (199 miles from Darwin) was being extended to Daly Waters, a distance of 360 miles. In the 360 miles between Darwin and the southern border of North Australia, only 12 telegraph and telephone stations existed. Inland the mail services were generally every six weeks, and in most cases were carried out by pack-horses. “The reason that North Australia is net more developed than it is to-day is,” the report continues, “certainly not; attributable to a lack of natural resources. As a matter of fact, portions of the other States of the Commonwealth, which are now thriving centres, had not, as a foundatio, country of as good a class as that which exists in North Australia. The lands, as a whole in North Australia, have every Claim to being classed as good average country, well endowed by nature, and capable of producing a wide range of products. It is essential that, instead of such a heritage being allowed to remain idle, the asset possessed should be put to its greatest practicable use.

“Assuming a Daly Waters —Queensland Border line was constructed and connected with the North Queensland Railway system,” the report went, on, “the total distance between Darwin and Townsville would be about 1510 miles, with no available deep-sea port in between. It is apparent that, when the Barkly Tablelands and the adjoining country are developed to the extent which can reasonably be assumed would follow the construction of a railway from Daly Waters to the Queensland Border, a seaport, situated at tho Pellew Islands. Gulf of Carpentaria, will be essential for the economical development and commercial prosperity of the great hinterland that would be served by such a port.”

In regard to/the construction of railways, the report recommends that the Darwin —Daly Waters railway be extended to the Queensland border, a distance of 450 miles, with the ultimate definite object of connecting with Bourke (N.S.W.) The extension of tho line from Daly Waters to the Queensland Border, for some distance westwards, the portion of these areas, known as the Barkly Tableland, extends for many miles south of the 20th parallel of such latitude into Central Australia. A largo proportion of this country is suitable for sheep raising. I'll© annual rainfall is plentiful and assured, and protracted and disastrous droughts are unknown. The natural features of the country in North Australia, the report adds, permit of railways being constructed to a, 4ft. SMn. gauge at a small additional cost to that of 3ft. Gin. gauge lines. The existing 3ft. Gin. gauge railway in North Australia is of such small extent that the opportunity now available for conversion to 4ft. SJin. gauge is unique, both as regards utility and cost, particularly in view of oilier conditions, especially favourable to the opportunity, the most important of which is the necessity for replacing most, of the existing rolling-stock, even if the 3ft Gin. gauge is retained.