Planting sugar cane, Bundaberg
Date1900-1920
Object numberANMS0227[076]
NamePhotograph
DimensionsOverall: 108 x 152 mm
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Robert D McKilliam
DescriptionOpen field. To left, man with dark three piece suit, bowler style hat, pipe in mouth. Moustache. Centre, two horses drawing two wheeled dray containing lengths of sugar cane. At rear, a plough is attached to dray, and furrow contains cane pieces. Man on left of dray has white shirt, large straight brimmed hat, thick long trousers. Man seated on dray has hat with rounded crown, white shirt. Place: cane field at Bundaberg, Queensland. Event: planting sugar cane.HistoryThe region of Bundaberg in Queensland was initially a timber town after a sawmill was erected on the Burnett River in 1868. Not enough to sustain the town whose population was around 200 in 1872, various crops were trialled with sugar cane being the moist successful.
It was not long before the industry grew substantially with numerous plantations and sugar mills and the town's infrastructure grew along with it. Bundaberg is still a primary sugar producing region in Australia.
SignificanceThis image is a part of the Captain Robert McKilliam collection. Captain McKilliam worked for the Aberdeen White Star Line for 32 years and sailed aboard such famous clipper ships as SALAMIS and THERMOPYLAE. He moved to Sydney in 1913 where he served as Assistant Wharf Master on Darling Island.
