THE GULF COUNTRY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14836, 13 February 1919, Page 6

THE GULF COUNTRY.

"A LAND OF GREAT PROMISE."

SYDNEY, Jan. 23.— Tjie Acting-Pre-mier of Queensland, Mr. Theodore, recently paid a visit to. that wide, empty country that lies south of the Gulf of Carpentaria, partly m the north-west ol his State and partly m the Northern Territory. He describes it with enthusiasm as a land of great promise and dealares that, if the problem of communication were only solved, it would easily support a prosperous population of at least hundreds of thousands. Stretching, right along east and west, south of the Gulf coast and north .of the 20fch parallel, lies • the Barclay Tableland, fertile, well-watered, and— owing to its height — of an agreeable temperature. Between the Tableland and the coast, intersected by numerous rivers, is more fertile country, more tropical m condition, but quite fit for occupation by white settlers. The Tableland, roughly, comprises 20,000 square miles; the ipoastaJ. ifringe ife somewhat less. The country, now, is mostly covered "By great cattle-stations, which produce iat stock of a quality unsurpassed m Australia. Here and there, pioneer farmers have tried agriculture — generally alongside risers so that a regular supply of water is assured — and m j ev^ry case with complete success. The country will produce almost everything, particularly maize 1 and lucerne. It is mostly flat, and could be easily irrigated from the many rivers, which are large, and, being fed from great springs on the Tableland are perennial. This country remains empty because of its isolation. The Gulf of Carpentaria is a great expanse of shoal water. Large vessels cannot get within miles of the shore ; only Bmall ships can creep .through the channels and enter the rivers, most of which are navigable for long distances. Experts have examined the coast from end' to end, seeking a deep-water port, but have failed. Lighterage is the only alternative. . The nearest railways are hundreds of miles off, m Quensiand, so now there is an agitation, afoot to induce the Federal Government to build a railway from the Darwin terminus at Pine Creek, across the - Barclay Tableland (parallel with the Gulf Coast at a distance of two or three hundred miles) to the Queensland border. If'tKat is done, the Queensland Government undertakes to connect the railway with the. Queensland system, probably at first giving an outlet to Townsville, but later building a trunk line down the back of Queensland to connect with the New South Wales and South , Australian systems near the point where the borders of these States meet. It is an ambitious scheme, but it is full of possibilities. There are great areas m the west awaiting development, but the unoocupied country which really promises great things is that lying along the back of Queensland and south of the Gulf. This country has undertaken big things m the direction of settling soldiers on the land, and, m ' view of this, and of *Ene certainty that there will be. ; an enormous stimulation of immigration when normal conditions return, all the Commonwealth's resources m the matter of land are being looked over.