Flinders Chase and Natural Resources

Flinders chase and early south coast settlers

Geoff Chapman has submitted his research, found in a .pdf file here.

Dene Cordes interview with Jim Tiggerman 16 Feb 1985.

See Ornithology

See Botany

See Bees

See also Other Natural Resources

See also Kangaroo Island – home of Tassie tigers, devils and megafauna

KANGAROO ISLAND RESERVE.

Our Kingcote correspondent writes:— General satisfaction is expressed through out the island that something definite has been decided on in reference to the flora and fauna reserve on the western end of the island. On Saturday Capt. White and Mr. Laffer, M.P., met the members of the Kingscote District Council, and decided on the boundary of the reserve. This will start from Cape Forbin, on the north coast, running south to the Rocky River freehold, thence south-west to the sea. The area enclosed will be about 300 square miles. When the fencing has been com pleted it is understood that protection will be taken of the animals outside the reserve and thus give settlers an opportunity to destroy any which might come on their holdings. With a motor road from Kingscote along the north coast to the reserve, down the boundary and to Kings cote by the road along the south coast, there would toe some inducement to main land people to visit the sanctuary reserve. This would not only popularize the aims of the Fauna and Flora Protection Society, but also indirectly help in its upkeep. Every motor car which came to the island to make the trip would pay £1 into revenue, 10/ each end for wharfage. This should influence the Government when the society applies for funds with which to make the roads. A rest house at the northern and southern boundaries, which could be rented by visitors, would also assist in paying upkeep.

FLINDERS CHASE.

From "S. A. White," "S. Dixon," and "J. M. Black," members of the Flinders Chase committee: Referring to the report of the meeting held at Kingscote on October 19 [1918], it is evident that the residents of Kangaroo Island do not appreciate the great benefits which the Flinders Chase scheme would be to him personally. It means, firstly, if a forestry scheme were carried out in time an increase in employment, and there would also be a large increase in the number of visitors, to say nothing of the summer settlers who would be induced to go there under our original scheme. In the report of the Kingscote meeting, which, by the way, does not mention how many persons were present, it is mentioned that "one speaker, with more than 50 years' experience there stated there were at present hundreds of thousands of animals on the island, and that they were increasing rather than decreasing." To people who have known the island for years, and who have recently visited it, this statement appears incredible. We accept the suggestion that a grubbed road would act as an excellent fire-break. It was further stated at the meeting that all protection should be taken off animals outside the reserve, thus giving the settlers the right to destroy those which came on their property. This is what we have aimed at all along, and is the reason why we have made a vermin-proof fence one of our principal objects. It was also stated at the meeting that "a heavy penalty imposed on anyone found destroying animals inside would deter trappers and others from going there." The experience of the last 30 years has proved this to be futile. The illegal destruction of kangaroos went on for years, and is still going on with opossums; the difficulty is to get convictions against offenders. We believe there has never been a successful prosecution. It was further alleged at the meeting that "it would soon be necessary to allow trappers inside the reserve is to prevent over-stocking." When the animals in the Chase prove to have become too numerous, trappers, under proper supervision, would be allowed to ply their trade inside the fence. The Kingscote meeting admitted that the mallee fowl which was liberated on the island some time ago has now ceased to exist This is proof positive of the necessity for the reserve being granted to a responsible body, as at present no one but legal control over it.

KANGAROO ISLAND RESERVATIONS.

From SAMUEL DIXON:— Your Kingscote correspondent is mistaken in referring to these reservations as grants. There have been no grants— only a series of broken promises. Some years ago the Land Office, in pursuit of a policy of getting rid of all possible land, dealt with Kangaroo Island; and, as a preliminary, the Conservator of Forests was instructed to report whether any of it was adapted for forestry. His report condemned the whole island, and so the land was then let in blocks at 6d. a mile on a miscellaneous lease of 35 years, with a right to cancel if the land were required for various purposes, among other park lands. 

In 1891 (as Chairman of the Fauna and Flora Preservation Committee) I called attention to 11,000 acres in Barossa available for forestry and native animals to be protected thereon, but the Forestry Department finally selected only a small portion, although the whole should have been taken to provide a clean water shed for the water supply; and all would have grown wattles or some kind of timber. As the result of this address, which pointed out the great value of the kangaroo skin (then 3/10 a lb., and has been 5/ a lb.) an Act was passed by which that animal was totally protected in Kangaroo Island. The protection was renewed by proclamation every three years for some time; and, although it saved them from complete extinction (like the Kangaroo Island emu) very large amounts were surreptitiously made by selling the skins concealed in bundles of sheepskins. 

In 1893, at the Hobart meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Science, I carried a motion asking our Government to reserve the Cape Borda Lighthouse Reserve. The Harbour Board objected. In 1906 the Flora, and Fauna Committee received a letter from the board, asking for reasons why a lease of the reserve for a cattle run should not be granted. We called a meting in the Mayor's parlour. The Mayor (the late Mr. Theodore Bruce) was in the chair. I submitted a scheme for vesting in trustees all the western end of Kangaroo Island. On August 8, 1906, a very large deputation, filling the room, waited upon the late Hon. T. Price, who promised that the 67 square miles at Cape Borda should be at once reserved, and said that the Government was in full sympathy with us, and would consider the request. Mr. Price was bluffed off from granting the 300 square miles, acting under the parklands clauses, by certain officials, although the primary meaning of 'park' is on enclosure for wild animals; and instead he asked the two lessees to sell out. They asked only £28,000— on interesting claim, considering their rental. 

The next stage was when we learned, to our intense amazement, that the Land Office had granted one-tenth of the area (say, 12,000 acres) as freehold to the two lessees, allowing them to select every picked spot of that extremely patchy country. The late Mr. E. H. Coombe, when Commissioner of Crown lands, reserved another 70 square miles. 

In May, 1911, an extremely large deputation, introduced by Major Smeaton, representing Australasian scientific societies, universities, and South Australian corporations and district councils, waited upon the Hon. C. Vaughan, who said that the Government had every sympathy with our request to secure the whole 300 square miles, and that something more must be done than hitherto. He would make a recommendation to his colleagues, and also would personally inspect the land. Eight or nine months afterwards the Verran Cabinet disappeared. 

In 1912 Mr. Ashby and myself waited upon the present Sir F. Young, who agreed to our proposals, asked for an estimate for a fence and house, &c., and told us to find a suitable naturalist to take charge. He also had a Bill crafted to include three members for each of these bodies— University, Royal Society, and the Government. He did nothing— said the cost (£3,000) was too much; yet £15,000 had been spent on that preposterous folly, Vivonne Bay Jetty. 

The next year (1913) he promised to put £500 in the Estimates, but again nothing was done. In 1914 the Government wrote that, in view of the bad season, the matter must be postponed. About this time last year The Register stated that the Hon. J. H. Vaughan had a report from the Adviser of Forestry (Mr. Corbin), reporting very favourably on the possibilities for forest growing in the island—the full text has not been published. 

I consider that the Conservator of Forests made a costly mistake in his report on Kangaroo Island, with a rainfall of 29 in., and that the 12,000 acres virtually given away, could by now have produced a magnificent return, gauging it by the little patch in Wirrabara Forest (originated by the first Conservator, Mr. Brown), of Pinus insignis, which ought to produce something like £300 an acre — say 13,000 acres — £3,600,000. This failure to secure the 11,000 acres in Barossa, together with its output, and the Kangaroo Island output of kangaroo, opossum, and wallaby pelts, means the loss of tens of thousands of pounds, to say nothing of the Barossa timber, which could have been grown, and is now so greatly needed. These figures furnish in themselves alone a costly lesson of the waste of our resources, which goes on more or less in every State of the Commonwealth. Surely something is wrong somewhere.

THE FUR INDUSTRY - UTILISING FLINDERS CHASE

(From The South Australian, 8/10/25).

Many people it must be admitted, acquiesed in the preserving of Flinders Chase as a Fauna and Flora Reserve with good natural tolerance, looking upon it a good deal as a a fad of scientists who are merely desirous of preventing the extinction of native animals. The plans in regard to Flinders Chase, however, are designed to make the western end of Kangaroo Island one of the most productive and valuable parts of the State. 

Flinders Chase, embracing about 200 square miles of the western end of Kangaroo Island, was established as a Fauna and Flora Reserve by Act of Parliament in 1919, in the face of a good deal of opposition from persons who objected to the setting aside of a large area of country simply for the running of native animals and the growth of native flora. Few people realised that this reserve might, is time, become very valuable to South Australia commercially. Recently, however, the Fauna and Flora Board, which controls Flinders Chase has initiated a policy of commercial development which promises to provide South Australia in the next half century with a fur industry ranking in importance with the other primary industries of the State. 

Under the administration of the Board the Rocky River estate and homestead have been added to the reserve, and this has permitted of the engagement of a resident ranger, an islander, who, with his wife lives at the homestead. [Harald Hansen (1888-1964) and Violet nee Hindmarsh 1893-1959) ].

The Board has entered upon a deliberate policy of introducing native animals that are in danger of extermination at well as of looking after the animals already living on Flinders Chase. Black Tasmanian opossums are being introduced with a view to improving the opposum furs. An area of 14 acres has been fenced in and here the animals are kept until they are acclimatised. Already native bears from Victoria have been placed out on the Chase, and three pairs of rat kangaroos (a species nearly extinct) have been liberated. 

The Board is looking for an early development in the fur trade. A great need is to improve the quality of the fur bearing animals, and the methods of killing, skinning and marketing. In this regard other countries of the world can teach South Australia much and Professor Wood Jones (Professor of Anatomy at the University of Adelaide) is taking up this matter very enthusiastically. Chatting with a representative of ' The South Australian' yesterday, he mentioned that prices obtained in oversea markets for S.A. pelts compared very unfavorably with the prices at which American and other furs were sold. The South Australians did not kill or skin animals in the proper way, mostly the animals which were trapped worried themselves to death in the snare, and he proposed to find out how killing, skinning, and preparing for markets were done at the American fur farms. When these things were perfected there should be big prospects for Flinders Chase in the matter of fur production. 

He added that there were many good-sized rivers on the Chase with water holes in which there was permanent water, and the Board hoped one day to introduce a duck-billed platypus, of which rare animal there were still a number in Tasmania. The Rocky River, when it flowed, was a very fine stream, and there was an abundance of feed all over the Chase. 

There are no rabbits, the pests with which the Board had to deal being cats and pigs that had gone wild, and goats. The pigs were very numerous and exceptionally wild, but not fierce. The native animals, which were natural to the island, were opposums, kangaroos, wallabies, bandicoots and native porcupines. He had found bones of the native cat, a valuable fur animal, but that was extinct on the island, and it was doubtful whether the Board would introduce it again lest settlers on the eastern end should object. 

" I have a great idea of the Chase," remarked Professor Wood Jones, '' and I think that in 50 years' time it will be a fauna reserve and, in addition, a valuable fur-producing place. Our next aim is to secure the Casuarina Islands, because there the last of the fur seals of South Australia are breeding. Then is quite a little colony on the islands nearest to the mainland. These islands are contiguous to Flinders Chase, and are overlooked by Cape DeCoudie light house. The lighthouse is connected with the Flinders Chase homestead by telephone, and the lightkeeper could watch the island for raiders. The islands are bare rocks of no use for anything, but the purpose which the Board propose to put them. They are not even easy to land upon. They are already a sanctuary and no one is allowed upon them, but they are not under the control of the Board. I believe, however, they have not been raided since they became a sanctuary, although they were shortly before being reserved. In the early days more than 50 fur seals were taken from one small cove. Each bull has about 50 cows, and the seals increase very quickly. It is scarcely necessary for me to point out how valuable to South Australia might the fur seal industry become if it can be established on those islands.

" There used to be an immense fur industry on Kangaroo Island in the old days. I have a record of a man (John Hart) who went sealing there in 1831. There was trade in seal skins with Kangaroo Island as long ago as 1813, 23 years before the Proclamation of South Australia as a province. The hunters in those days were runaway sealers from Tasmania, who brought native wives to the is lands with them. They were there for some years before 1813, for in 1804 a ship called the ' Union,' under Captain Pendleton, called at Kangaroo Island and brought away from these people 1,400 seal skins. Some of the families of the early sealers are still on the Island." 

Flinders Chase is not fenced, that is the Board's outstanding difficulty. Until last year the Board did not know what the boundary was. It has now been surveyed and a line has been cut through the thick scrub from north to south, 23 miles across Kangaroo Island as the crow flies. Unfortunately the boundary runs over rough country which could not be fenced, but the Board is hopeful of being able to arrange with the Federal Government and the Kingscote District Council to have a road made on the eastern boundary which would enable a fence to be put up. The Board has recently turned out pinioned Cape Barren geese, and propose to do the same with ducks in the hope that these birds will attract wild geese and ducks to the many waters on the Chase. It is proposed, also, to place emus there. There are none there at present, although Capt. Flinders found large numbers of them, they ware killed out soon after the visit of the famous navigator.

Natural History of Kangaroo Island 2nd ed. July 2002. Editors: M. Davies, C. R. Twidale & M. J. Tyler Royal Society of South Australia (Inc.)