Hughenden, named after the residence of Benjamin Disraeli (because why not?), grew up as a hub for the sheep stations in the area during the late 1800s. The Sheep Stations The Shearers Hughenden and Barcaldine were hubs for striking shearers in the 1891 conflict with landholders over non-union labour. How deeply the strike affected theContinue reading “The early days of Hughenden, in colour.”
Tag Archives: Shearer’s Strike
The early days of Barcaldine, in colour.
The Wool Industry A sheep station was set up in the district in 1863, and named Barcaldine Downs. The owner of that station had been a slaveholder in British Guiana, and employed South Sea Islander labour on the station in the early years. Presumably, the man had seen a successful business model in operation, andContinue reading “The early days of Barcaldine, in colour.”
The Shearers’ Strike in Images
In the early 1890s, a strike took place in the wool shearing industry that brought about the beginnings of the union movement in Australia. Important concessions were made by both sides before the strike collapsed. Shearing work in the 1860s and 1870s These photos, taken by itinerant photographers during the 1860s and 1870s, show theContinue reading “The Shearers’ Strike in Images”
Moreton Bay and More 