Myall Creek Estate
In 1904, the Warialda Standard welcomed the proposal to purchase ‘Myall Creek’ from the owners Young Bros. and Co. for closer settlement.  The matter was to be considered by the Land Board at Inverell on 27 January 1904.  After an exhaustive inquiry, the Board determined that the Estate met every requirement for Closer Settlement.

The proposed resumption of the Estate proceeded through both Houses of Parliament in December 1904 and a report of the closer settlement plans appeared in the Warialda Standard, 3 January 1905.  An officer was located by the Lands Department to provide information concerning the proposed subdivision to the public.  In June 1907 the Bingara Telegraph published the names of the successful applicants for blocks on ‘Myall Creek’ and ‘Rocky Creek’ stations.  

In September 1906 surveyor Warner completed the survey of another 30,000 acres of ‘Myall Creek Station’ extending from the boundary fence seven miles from Bingara to within three miles of Reedy Creek.  The subdivision was ten good blocks of 3,000 acres each available for conditional lease or settlement lease.

A year later, a letter from the Department of Lands announced that further land from ‘Myall Creek’ was to be made available for settlement lease.  The Bingara Telegraph stated ‘the price per acre put upon those blocks will certainly prevent anything in the shape of a rush for any of them’.

Photograph 5: Fodder storage, Bingara Museum Photograph Collection

Soldier Settlers
After World War One, schemes were developed to place returned soldiers on the land.  The first Returned Soldiers Settlement Acts were passed in 1916 with some amendments in 1917 and 1919.  In November 1919, concern arose in the Warialda District about the size of soldier settler blocks.  That month, J. Lanagan of Warialda organised a petition as to ‘what constitutes a living area’ and the Department was urged not to make the blocks less that 3000 aces.

After World War Two, soldier settlement was re-introduced in a modified form.  In 1941 the War Services Land Settlement Act extended the resumption of land with consideration of a settler’s eligibility and potential as a farmer.  Much of the district surrounding and north of Warialda was involved in this settlement.

Development of some individual pastoral stations
The first squatter in the Bingara district was William Smith Hall who took up ‘Bingera’ station in his father’s name.  By July 1889 there were ‘several well-known stations near the town of Bingara, notably ‘Myall Creek’ (Messrs. W.J. Dangar and Company’s), ‘Keera’ (Messrs. T. Cook and Co.) and ‘Big River’ (Mr Charles Bull’s). 

Outlined below are some historical details of the development of individual stations.  As newspapers were surveyed, information concerning the calling of tenders by architects or station owners, dates of construction and design of individual items, has been recorded.  In time this information can be supplemented as further historical research is completed.



Photograph 6: Landscape of disused farm on the southern approaches to Bingara, Blake & Wilson 2006.

Arrawatta
J.F. O’Connor called tenders for the erection of additions to and remodelling the ‘Arrawatta’ homestead for L.A. Dangar in July 1929.

Bangheet
Tenders for construction of a woolshed at ‘Bangheet Station’ were called in March 1905.  Plans and specifications were available from A.W.H. Bull of Bingara.  Edward Bates was the successful tenderer and the timber was cut on the property.  In 1917 the woolshed burnt down and the owners purchased the Criterion Hall that was being demolished in Maitland Street, Bingara.  John Thomas Bridger and James Tearne Wearne built a hall in 1889.  Rebuilt on the property, the hall still serves as the shearing shed on ‘Bangheet’.


Photograph 7: Bridger's Criterion Hall in Bingara (now located on Bangheet), Bingara Museum Photograph Collection

A year later, tenders were called for construction of a homestead at ‘Bangheet’ in March 1906.  Again plans and specifications were available from A.W.H. Bull of Bingara.

The property was subdivided for soldier settlers after World War Two.

Bendee, Warialda
J.A. McGregor called tenders for construction of a new homestead at ‘Bendee’ in May 1937.