The New York herald., 1921-06-14
Birth of Australian Towns.
Start With CrOssroad Store. Grow
Up Into Business Centres.
r. Lamb IN London DaiIv Mail.

r. F.. Lamb N London Daily NaN.
Hidden away all over Australia are
tiny townships that one day will play
an important part in the destiny Of this
great island continent.
A few, principally the older ones, are
still independent of the railway, but they
are in the minority, because the steel
rails have linked UP the most important
with the big cities. few struggle on
in the hope of being one day consid-
cred big enough to induce the Govern
ment to build a spur line. Sometimes
this happens, but usually settlers flock
to other and more getatable centres,
with the result that the sleepy inhab-
itants Of Opossum Gully have still to
rely on the monthly or twice monthly
mail coach.
| Along the branch lines that are con-
stantly being constructed to tap the
rich agricultural areas are springng up
little townships. Their growth. unlike
that Of a mining camp. is slow and
sure. On the gold fields settlements
spring up like mushrooms. but the
township that is dependent on the needs
of the agriculturist is built on better
foundations.
No flourish Of trumpets or Ministerial
visits to lay foundation stones mark the
birth of the average bush town. In some
instances these towns originate with the
few canvas tents or hessian "humpies"
of platelayers.
| Sooner or later a storekeeper from
somewhere "up the line" builds a small
galvanized iron store and opens up n
tyanch at the T27 miles" A few set
tiers drift TO the neighborhood and take
up homestead farming blocks of $50
acres. Surveyors come along and sur
vey the district. marking out town
blocks on the site of the embryo town
| ship.
A hotel of half a dozen iron and
weather board rooms springs UP. Later
| on the township is given a name, and
the residents of Bournebrook--onee
"127 miles"-petition the Government
for railway siding. Later on more
| settlers take up country and a real rail-
| way station is built, with brick house,
the first in the neighborhood, for the
station master. q not overworked indi-
vidual, who incidentally acts as post
master, porter and general railway fac
| totum.
Mrs Brown, whose husband was
killed In the war, begins to bake bread
for her neighbora. Mr.. (late 4907 Pri-
| vate) Jones, who has lost an arm, builds
tiny "humpy" and acts as represen-
tative for several Of the big city firms.
Later on the Provincial Bank Of Aus
| tralia opens branch, with n sub-man-
ager who travels down once a week for
a couple of hours.
The Government installs a postmaster
and Bournebrook no longer has to line
up outside the station masters Office
until that dgnitary has carefully scru-
ttlized every letter. and possibly read
any postcards that may be addressed
to fellow citizens. A State school for
the crowd of youngsters that has. some
how or another. filed to overfowing the
tiny three or four roomed houses an
agricultural hall Mrs. Robinson's board
ing house-such is the history of many
Of Australia's townships.
| In few years time trees will be
planted along the wide streets. Shops
and offices will be opened, churches will
bo built. stock yards erected ami
Bournebrook will forget when it figured
I'm official records as the "127 miles" on
tho Great North Eastern Railway.