Cowell Park was purchased on 19th December, 1906. Viz. 491 acres at £4 per acre, making £1964, on terms (£200 down and balance over 5 years), from William Arnold – Lighthouse Keeper at Fingal, who had selected it from the Government for his boys, who had only cleared about 25 acres and planted with buffalo grass, the only grass that was suitable before Paspalum and still later Kikuyu. This cleared area had become overgrown and was then of little value for grazing, so there was no income from the investment.

About a year after I paid the £200 deposit, Mr Arnold begged me to pay him off, so I arranged a loan from the Advance to Settlers Board, and paid him. Subsequently, Effie had funds coming to her (Father’s Estate – James Nicol of Yarram, Victoria) which enabled us to settle and arrange from time to time with the Commercial Banking Company for fluctuating financial assistance.

I particularly wish to emphasise the financial help and loving care and advice of my dear departed wife over the 44 years of our devoted partnership to when my pal was called away on 21st June, 1951.

Regarding the name “Cowell Park”, my Mother’s Father was Henry Cowell who came from Kent, England, about 1860, with his wife and three daughters. My second name being Cowell – hence Cowell Park.

Natural State

The whole 491 acres was approximately half hill and flat, the latter at that time either under water or more or less submerged by water, and covered with tussocks or bangalow palms, but about 30 acres on the Eastern side of the flat – that faces the cattle dip since erected, was firm soil covered with Ti-tree and some hardwood timber.

Clearing

From memory, my first expenditure was to have felled as much of this ground that was or would be dry, or at least only about a foot under water, so with help, I measured off as much as I thought possibly not too wet, to fall the timber area – calculated as 15 acres, was “U” shaped. This 15 acres was of little value until a subsequent drainage scheme operated.

The following winter of 1907 a contract at £3 per acre was let to fall 95 acres of high ground, now known as part No 2 dairy area.

It is usual to fall timber about June or July and await a burn in December or earlier according to the season. This happened to be a wet Spring. Fortunately there were a few dry days in early December, but still considered too wet to burn. However, by supposed accident our felled scrub got on fire – a pretty fair burn. ‘Hurrah!’ said SCS, as the necessary Paspalum seed was stored and a contract let to sow it by Rice Bros, the owners of the farm Cattrell Bros (adjoining Cowell Park) now own. They went ahead and planted the 95 acres (about) in a week. It was raining practically all the time. What a lucky burn we had.

The seed germinated like hairs on a cat’s back. It was said that only about three other “Settlers” were fortunate to get a burn – and the story around town was that the b……… Bank Manager with the money was one of them – the Cow!

Well now, what next for some cash, so on 1st April I leased the grass for six months for £50 which helped a bit.

So, that winter, 1908, I contracted to fall the balance of the high land, about 103 acres I think. The Auctioneer who I purchased through, gave me a hand with a Surveyor’s assistant to survey the scrub. It took us two days with, I well remember, temperatures of about 95 degrees. The first day we all had an hour’s spell with hay fever after breathing the pollen off flowering stinging tree flowers, a lovely pink blossom.

Well, this 103 acres was to be burned in the Spring, but it also got accidentally set on fire; this burn was premature, and consequently the grass seed got a poor strike, and there was a lot of expense in logging up timber and general cleaning up that kept finance low, and quite a large area had to be replanted.

There was one large teak tree alive on top of the hill, too heavy for teamsters to remove. This area we called “one tree hill” until it was blown down in a storm. Subsequently, I had it sawn into blocks, several about 4 feet thick and we used them around the dairy and cream shed flooring, but most for blocks as a foundation for a corn shed on the peat land that we were preparing for maize growing – about a dozen of these about 5 feet in diameter, were let into the ground as a foundation.

Drainage Prospects & Trust

Before purchasing the land, I obtained a Surveys certificate to say that from where the Trust drain known as “L K” starts there was a 12 ft fall to the sea, and to confirm this, I contacted Mr Fred Mills, who pioneered the land adjoining and opened up a few water courses.

He was exceptionally co-operative, and we spent two days on foot, occasionally bogged, to confirm this fall of 12 ft.

With that in view, I at once got in touch with the Lands Department and our Member for the District to form a Drainage Trust. The Public Works Dept eventually took the matter up, surveys were made of all low lying land that was considered would be benefited by drainage, and eventually, after some correspondence, I, (SCS), acting as Hon. Sec, the Scheme was gazetted on 8th August, 1908, estimated to cost £8,600 and which eventually amounted to about £13,000. The Government gave terms up to 33¼ years to pay from 1915. However, after some adjustments and several enquiries made, the total in February, 1922, stood at £9,881.

I could write many pages of the history of this Trust, however, it is now run as a Union and the debt cleared, and in passing, would remark that the Government was comparatively generous and encouraged production.

For record, I show particulars of total cost before adjustments - £12,977.

Enquiry – 22 September, 1920 – Cost

Channel

A to B Mooball Cudgera £2160
C to D Burringbar Creek £1867
E to F Billynudgel Creek £920
G to H Billynudgel Creek including extension to original work £543
I to J Billynudgel Creek £1481
K to L Billynudgel Creek £1183.7.7
D to N Crabbe’s Creek £1520
O to P Extension of Works £2952.9.3
Q to R Extension £351

£12,977.16.10

To consolidate the peat land, we used heavy rollers drawn by bullocks and then a special knife roller by cutting both ways, it left little squares. This we again heavily rolled.

A number of lateral drains were made, and as the ground became less water-logged, these drains required re-making. All this was done by hand labour.

Corn was grown for several years on shares; one season we sold 900 bats at 9/- a bushel, about 1915, I think.

Roads

The entrance to Cowell Park to allow for dairying was difficult. However, by keeping to the hills, one was made, (since more or less abandoned), because the road from “Casey’s Cottage” was not made until about 1922, at the time I was leaving for Maitland, and it was a few years after that the now entrance over the flat became useable for cream carting etc. – so the old hill side was abandoned.

The Land Tax Return as at 30th June,1922 for improvements gave the following:-

Part Pot. 67 and 76 Parish of Mooball; Areas 464a £3,240
Felling, burning-off, logging-up, stumping, tramping, grassing etc.  £520
Fencing, including pig-runs etc.  £450
Dwelling, dairy bails, yards etc.  £750
Dwelling, dairy, bails, piggery, barn, etc.  £100
Dwelling and kitchen (men’s quarters)  £160
Barn and stables, yards, gates etc.  £190
Barn (on flat) including special logging & c  £260
Roads construction  £1,620
Drainage construction, bridges, culverts, dams, wells etc.  £135
Cattle-dip (half-cost) ££7,425

Dairy Started

Dairying was commenced at No 1 in 1910 – the house being built from timber from Mrs. Collier’s Australian Hotel which was situated where Bradnam’s Tyre Depot is now located. We used almost only hill country, both the question of locality was much discussed, and I am still of the opinion (5/2/60) it is in the right place. To establish this dairy was a worrying financial job. We had few stock and little cash. However, Tom Griffin came to me and offered to sell me his herd that he had bought on terms through an auctioneer provided I took over his term debt. This was tight then, but I paid the ordinary monthly accounts and kept the financial name required for a banker.

No 2 home and dairy had then to be established. The house was built in 1913, and dairying was commenced with a small young herd. After a little time, I found that supervising two dairies and running a Bank was strenuous. Say twice a week, I took the 6am train from Murwillumbah – often walking both ways from Mooball to farm, and be back at the Bank by 11am to start office work and money lending. No sir – no …………… good!

Lease of No 2

I told Auctioneer, Frank Smith, No 2 could be leased, so along came Mr P A Irby and young wife. They were there from 31st December, 1914 to about 1922 and were good tenants.

Sold to Irby

P A Irby purchased 95 acres in all, 70 acres part Carruthers and 25 acres Cowell Park – on terms for £2,493. Viz £600 down, balance 8 years.

Cane land leased

About 1920 I leased 32 acres to J W Corbett, and say, about 34 acres to H O Lawson on terms – two years free and then three years at £3 per acre.

Lawson’s area was subsequently sold to G A Steel about 1926. Corbett’s lease just expired and we used the ground for cane growing.

First Cane

Prior to that I experimented on cane growing on hard soil on No 2 area facing the creek on western Boundary – about 2 acres. That thrived so well it encouraged an extension.

The Sugar Co paid the cartage to Mooball and did not charge for plants. However, when we proved later that sweet cane could be grown on peat soil, the Company canvassed for growers.

First Tram Line

After much talk and many discussions, the tram line was put down by the CSR Co and long terms arranged to meet some of the cost by growers. We lent our trained swamp horses to do most of the hauling.

Bongoolah

During the year 1940, the property known as “Bongoolah” of 120 acres was purchased and used as a dry run for heifers. It faced the heavy traffic of the Highway and became a “nightmare” driving stock for dipping to and fro from Cowell Park.

About 1945, we leased two acres of “Bongoolah” for banana growing, 9 acres to Mr Rousseau and 6 acres to Keith Toovey. The former we bought back from Mr Rousseau and worked ourselves for a couple of years until low prices decided that it was better for grass.

We sold “Bongoolah” to Percy Dixon for £4,000 in 1958 and bought “Sherwood” – Quinn’s area adjoining Cowell Park, of 139 acres from Fred Quinn, originally Buckley Kelly’s – for £6,250 – and is now called “Sherwood”.

This area was selected as a Homestead block – the title restricting it to an owner without farm land, hence it was bought in Brian’s name and called “Sherwood” because that was the name of his wife’s home in New Zealand.

Re: Carruthers

During 1933, after my retirement from the Bank, I purchased for £1,000, 28 acres from George Miller, our adjoining neighbour. This added 43 acres, 1 rood, 3 perches of original “Carruthers” giving new total of 71 acres, 3 roods, 12 perches, in the name of S C Steel. Except for 11 acres of this (leased to G A Steel), the balance is used by Cowell Park Estate, giving a total area, including 11 acres leased, of 674 acres all adjoining.

  Viz Cowell Park  463 acres, 2 roods, 14 perches
    Sherwood   139 acres
    Carruthers  71 acres, 3 roods, 12 perches

Purchased February 1963 - Keevers  139½ acres

                              818½ acres

Banana Growing

Banana growing at Cowell Park was started during World War II to keep my men not eligible for service, employed.

I record that from 1943 to 1958 we sold 8,876 cases for nett £15,333 (minus cost of cases) averaging £1.14.6 per case.

This does not include a prior plantation at Broken Head – over several years managed by Tom Fysh on 320 acres purchased about 1916 and sold in 1952. This area was useful for a dry stock run, but gave a lot of droving trouble.

Management

During my nine years at West Maitland (1922 to 1931), Mr W G Bishop supervised the farm. He had a good Works Manager in Mr Reg Casey whom I had previously put in charge of the men.

The Horse tram line along the 4 ft drain was laid down by us, the tenants and P A Irby giving some assistance. This line in 1957 was made a permanent one, all growers contributing to the cost spreading over a few years.

I have no record of proceeds of the 2 acre experiment cane planted about 1915, but for record I quote the following production figures:-

Cane Returns 9 Years

Tons      

Gross

Nett

Cutters

Special Levies

                              Special Levies
Tons  Gross  Nett  Cutters

1949  1,639  £ 3,450  £ 1,940  £ 797  Barracks  £ 72
1950  1,612  3,072  1,254  1,003  "      77
1951  1,001  3,083  1,667  703  "      85
1952  1,126  3,547  1,931  824  "      83
1953  1,760  6,589  4,135  1,284  "      134
1954  1,647  6,176  3,637  1,380  "      123
1955  843  3,205  1,787  828          £574
1956  1,736  8,447  5,934  1,317    Insurance  £55
1957  1,677  7,151  4,655  1,384    "    £131
1958  2,927-69  12,008  7,166  2,677

Total  13,081  £44,718  £26,940  £9,520
Average  1,472  4,968  2,993

Average Nett Price per ton £2. 0. 7
1958 Nett Price per ton £2. 8. 7½
1958 Tram Line Levy £292.16.0

My nephew, G A Steel, has, over the years, been of great assistance to me, also to the progress of sugar growing in that area, not only for his practical knowledge gained in Queensland, but his natural ability to handle men, as well as being able to successfully act as Secretary for the Association over many years, and retain the full confidence of growers.

His Auntie was always a supporter of him, and we mutually looked for that family unity in our dealings together. We supported the purchase by Geoff of 112 acres on Hulls Road from Percy Miller in 1937. This farm he sold in 1957. He also purchased in 1954, 238 acres from Claude Mills that adjoins Cowell Park on the Eastern side. We were very pleased with this deal and no record that it brings the two younger generations together for mutual companionship and help. They have named it “Mariposa” – same as my Uncle’s old home at Falmouth, Tasmania.

Cattle Ticks and Dip

In 1907 the Queensland Cattle Ticks were discovered on some working bullocks at Tumbulgum. This news was very upsetting as it meant a monthly spraying of all stock, so I arranged with Otto Miller, owner of land adjoining – now Cattrells – to erect a dip on the boundary, which over the say fifty years, has saved us a lot of droving. The Stock Department has taken it over since 1957.

Unfortunately Reg died at middle age. He was a very conscientious man.

My Grandson, Brian Harbison, joined us at the farm in 1948 and with the help of my Nephew, Geoff Steel, we carried on together until Brian was married to a New Zealand lassie (who has endeared herself to us). Viz Miss Alison Brown, daughter of Jack and Mrs Wynn Brown of “Sherwood”, Cambridge, New Zealand, on 26th May, 1956, at Cambridge Church of England.

We made up a party to be there, flying from Sydney, consisting of Pa and Ma Harbison, Grandpa, and Ian, Dr & Mrs Austin, and not forgetting Mrs Mollie Richardson, the bright spark and the lottery winner of £500 at Armidale while there – had to be celebrated! We were most hospitably received and entertained.

Brian and Alison now reside at the homestead, and Brian took over the management. He had previously been educated at The Armidale School, and later two years at Gatton Agricultural College, where he received a diploma in (i) Animal Husbandry, and (ii) Agriculture.

Mechanical equipment has superseded the twelve horses, so “Diamond”, “Punch” etc. have gone, but not forgotten, nor the Grandchildren’s pals – viz Nellie, Sox…………Trixie is still very useful (22/2/60).

Homestead

On my retirement from the Bank, we returned to the Tweed from West Maitland. We decided to erect a home at Cowell Park, and the site was chosen. The top rough half of the hill was levelled off with horses and scoop. We also decided to build first a good room suitable later for an office, and to temporarily live in it while the house was being erected. We did this more or less, but took a room with separate balcony at the Australian Hotel, Murwillumbah, which we kept on for about twelve months, going to the farm often.

The house and several buildings were erected by carpenter, Bill Potts, a very practical and qualified man, who could be called upon for a story at any time, not necessarily true. His name is perpetuated by “Pottsville” village where he lived and where he subdivided land, some of which was bought in Brian’s name.

Harbison’s Return

Owing to Mother’s ill health, in 1950 Moira and Ken decided to reside nearby, and after some negotiations, a partnership was arranged with Dr MacGillivray of Murwillumbah, and took over on 1st October, 1950.

Subsequently, a house was secured at 19 Tumbulgum Road, Murwillumbah.

On 21st June, 1951, when Mother “Passed Over” I came to live with my Daughter and Son-in-Law, there.

After the sudden death of his partner, Dr MacGillivray, on Easter Friday, 1951, Ken subsequently took over the whole practice which he held for four years. Dr Jim Marks and his wife Dr Betty McEwan were then admitted as partners and continued till October, 1957 when Ken retired from the practice in Murwillumbah and opened a new and small practice at Kingscliff where he was able to “partly retire”.

On 7th November, 1956 Ken purchased from Mr Harry Gill a seaside cottage in Moss Street, Kingscliff for £3,800, for weekends etc, but in 1957 when Ken sold his share in the practice at Murwillumbah, this cottage was enlarged and became the home of the Harbison family.

So the whole family moved down and Ken purchased land in Marine Parade from the CSR for £7,500 and had a surgery erected.

The land had two old cottages facing Pearl Street which were renovated and furnished, and from which rentals were received.

Ailsa was married to David Murdock, son of Mr & Mrs Harry Murdock of “Glenfallock”, Holbrook, on 30th August, 1956, at St Stephens Church, Macquarie Street, Sydney, so that leaves a quartet now to keep the “home fires burning” at Kingscliff.