QUEENSLAND: A SKETCH. I. Introductory and General. IN December. 1823, Surveyor-General Oxley, acting on the information of two castaways, first entered the magnificent river to which he gave the name of the Brisbane. The foundation of Queensland's settlement may be dated from that day. It will not be necessary in this short description to enter minutely into the history of the early settlement of the colony, which for many years remained an integral portion of that of New South Wales. So little seems to have been thought of its future importance that the authorities in 1825 established a penal establishment at the mouth of the river, and it was not until 1840 that the Act of Legislature was passed which abolished transportation to Botany Bay, and that steps were taken to remove this fou! excrescence from these fair shores. The first ship bringing free immigrants was the Artemisia, followed quickly by the Fortitude, which was the earliest vessel bringing settlers under Dr. Lang's scheme, and the now populous Fortitude Valley marks the spot which was chosen as the home of the first free pioneers of Queensland. The year 1859 is memorable as that in which the colony was considered sufficiently important to be granted the inestimable boon of self-government, and from this date commences its real progress, to which the increase of population will afford us some index. According to the first official figures the population of Queensland in 1860 was 28,056. The estimated number on the 31st December, 1887, was, in round figures, 367,000, of whom 215,000 were males, and 152,000 females. The colony is situated between the parallels of 10° 40'-29° southern latitude, and 138°-153° 13' east longitude, and within these limits contains an area of 668,224 square miles, with a seaboard of about 2500 miles. On all sides of this immense area seen evidences of the energy and vitality of the people. Vessels of all sizes swarm along the coast. Railways render easy are communication with the principal inland towns and bring rich freights to the coast, and the traveller can now journey by rail uninterruptedly from Brisbane to Sydney. Melbourne and Adelaide. The whole colony is dotted with towns- centres of energy--while the fruits of the indomitable industry of the miner, the pastoralist and the agriculturist, are seen in all directions. Within the large area covered by the colony there is necessarily a great diversity of climate. Speaking generally, the rainy season throughout the colony occurs in the months of January and February. In the tropical portion there is a welldefined "rainy season," extending from January to March. In the south the rains are more generally distributed over the year. The winter is generally dry and bracing, more especially upon the highland plains west of the coastal range; indeed, for at least eight months of the twelve the climate of Queensland is most lively and exhilarating, and closely approaches that of Madeira. The total rainfall in 1887 at Brisbane was 81 inches; at Cooktown, 75 inches; Warwick, 32 inches; Stanhorpe, 35 inches; Geraldton, 155 inches; Rockhampton, 45 inches; Normanton, 37 inches; and Townsville, 56 inches. The mean shade temperature of Brisbane in 1887 ranged from 76 in January to 56° in June. The climate, on the whole, is remarkably healthy, and as the manner of life among the people is brought more in unison with its demands, is shown to be fully as salubrious as that of any other portion of the Australian continent. No part of the colony is unsuited to the European constitution. In the inland plains more especially the climate shows its effect in the physique of the people, and the hearty manner in which athletic exercises are pursued by the younger portion of the community is strong evidence of its invigorating character. The advance of Queensland is due in great measure firstly to its pastoral and latterly to its mineral resources. Running along the eastern coast, and at a distance varying from 20 to 100 miles from the sea, is the backbone, or great dividing range of mountains. Between this range and the sea is found a belt of rich alluvial soil. well watered by many fine streams, while undulating plains stretch beyond the range westward. The coastal districts are devoted almost entirely to agriculture and timber getting. Beyond, the pastoralist and miner share, with the agriculturist, the produce of the soil. As the timber getter removed with his axe the giants of the forest, clearing the dense scrub found in his way, he was closely followed by the agriculturist, and sugar. maize, tobacco, cotton, took the place of the stately pine and noble cedar. |