VPRS 16289 Land Settlement Estates Development Files

The files in this series document the processes undertaken by the Soldier Settlement Commission (VA 2270) and the Rural Finance and Settlement Commission (VA 2273) primarily, along with their successors, in developing estates for civilian land settlement. Six Land Settlement Estates were developed - Heytesbury, East Goulburn Irrigation Area, Yanakie, Rochester, Palpara and Dartmoor.VPRS 16290 Soldier Settlement Estates Development Files is a related series for the development of soldier settlement estates. There was an extensive overlap in the classifications of files developed for both types of estates e.g. Valuation-Purchase Lease, Subdivision, Statements for Commonwealth etc.BACKGROUND TO THE LAND SETTLEMENT SCHEMEBy the beginning of 1951 the Soldier Settlement Commission (SSC) (VA 2270) had decided to consider developing three major areas of Crown land - Heytesbury, Yanakie and Nyora. At a conference held on 8 February 1951, the feasibility of settlement in these areas was discussed and the Minister of Lands expressed interest in settlement opportunities for not only ex-servicemen but also for civilians who had not been in the war service.In December 1953, the Land Settlement Act 1953 (No. 5768) was passed, which opened up settlement opportunities for young civilian men without previous war service. The Land Settlement Act adopted the main provisions of the Soldier Settlement Act (no. 5107) for acquiring and setting apart land, although settlers could choose whether to finance their own farm development or accept assistance from the SSC. The enterprise was an initiative of the Victorian Government alone, whilst funded and administered through the SSC.The Soldier Settlement Commission's 1952-3 Annual Report outlined experimental work that was undertaken in various Crown areas, including Heytesbury, which led to a confident prediction of successful dairying in the area. Preparation of undeveloped Crown land began at Heytesbury in 1956, by which time Victoria's World War II Soldier Settlement program was starting to wind down. By 1958, land funded and developed under the Soldier Settlement Act at Heytesbury, Yanakie and East Goulburn was ready for transfer for civilian settlement. The land was officially transferred in 1959 under the Land Settlement Act (No. 6534). The first section of the Heytesbury settlement was opened in late 1959. By 1961 Civilian and Soldier Settlement schemes operated side by side at Yanakie, the first civilian settlers having been allocated blocks during that year. Yanakie's second-stage development was completed by 1965.Dairy farm development at Heytesbury ceased in the 1970s and during the 1980s the remaining land was gradually sold publicly in various-sized lots. In March 1988 an area of 1,039 hectares was transferred to the Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands for softwood production. The Rural Finance Corporation (II) (VA 2985) held a final clearing sale on 24 May 1989, which included the sale of vehicles, horses, hay and office furniture and equipment. All activities were finalised on 1 June 1989.The true series date range is uncertain as it was not possible to determine precisely when the recordkeeping activities underpinning the estate development process began and ended. The series appears to contain material from a number of recordkeeping systems, although the majority of files are unnumbered. A series start date of 1956 has been chosen as this was the year that major development began on the Heytesbury estate. Some documents predate 1956, including reports and correspondence of the Virgin Land Investigation Committee, established in 1949, to recommend Crown land which appeared most suitable for the SSC to investigate in detail. The committee visited Yanakie early in 1950, an area that would eventually be occupied by both soldier and civilian settlers. However, the majority of files in the series date from 1956 to 1976 - the most intensive period of land development. Documents were added to files after this date but only a small number of new files were created.A series end date of 1989 has been chosen as this was the year that the Rural Finance Corporation II (VA 2985) conducted its final clearing sale for the Heytesbury project. The last file of the series was generated during this year.Many files from this series were destroyed at some time in the past. This series constitutes those files that survived.本系列档案主要记录了士兵安置委员会（Soldier Settlement Commission，VA 2270）与农村金融与安置委员会（Rural Finance and Settlement Commission，VA 2273）及其后续机构为开发民用土地安置项目所开展的工作流程，共计建成6处土地安置庄园：海茨伯里（Heytesbury）、东古尔本灌溉区（East Goulburn Irrigation Area）、亚纳基（Yanakie）、罗切斯特（Rochester）、帕尔帕拉（Palpara）与达特穆尔（Dartmoor）。 VPRS 16290《士兵安置庄园开发档案》是与士兵安置庄园开发相关的平行系列档案。两类庄园对应的档案分类存在大量重叠，例如估值-购置租赁、分区规划、联邦政府相关报表等。 土地安置计划背景 至1951年初，士兵安置委员会（Soldier Settlement Commission，SSC，VA 2270）已决定考虑开发三处主要的王室土地（Crown land）片区：海茨伯里、亚纳基与尼奥拉（Nyora）。1951年2月8日召开的会议讨论了上述片区的安置可行性，土地部长不仅表达了为退伍军人提供安置机会的意愿，也关注到非参战平民的安置需求。 1953年12月，《1953年土地安置法案》（第5768号）正式通过，该法案为无参战经历的青年男性平民开放了安置名额。该法案沿用了《士兵安置法案》（第5107号）中关于土地征收与划拨的核心条款，但安置者可自主选择自筹农场开发资金，或接受士兵安置委员会提供的资助。本项目仅由维多利亚州政府发起，由士兵安置委员会负责资金筹措与管理。 士兵安置委员会1952-1953年度年报提及了在包括海茨伯里在内的多个王室土地片区开展的试点工作，并据此对该区域的乳业经营前景做出了乐观预判。1956年，海茨伯里片区的未开发王室土地开发工作正式启动，此时维多利亚州的二战士兵安置计划已逐步收尾。至1958年，依据《士兵安置法案》开发并资助的海茨伯里、亚纳基与东古尔本片区土地已完成建设，可移交用于平民安置。该批土地于1959年依据《土地安置法案》（第6534号）正式完成移交。海茨伯里安置区的首期区块于1959年末开放。至1961年，亚纳基片区同时运行平民与士兵安置计划，当年首批平民安置者已获得地块分配。亚纳基片区的二期开发工程于1965年完工。 海茨伯里片区的奶牛场开发项目于20世纪70年代终止，20世纪80年代期间，剩余土地逐步以不同规模地块公开拍卖。1988年3月，一片面积为1039公顷的土地被移交至保护、森林与土地部用于软木生产。农村金融公司（II）（Rural Finance Corporation (II)，VA 2985）于1989年5月24日举办了最终清仓拍卖，标的涵盖车辆、马匹、干草、办公家具与设备。所有项目相关工作于1989年6月1日正式收尾。 本系列的准确时间跨度无法确定，因为无法精准界定支撑庄园开发流程的档案记录工作的起始与结束时间。该系列档案源自多个档案管理系统，且多数档案未编制编号。本次选取的系列起始时间为1956年，该年海茨伯里庄园启动了大规模开发工作。部分档案早于1956年，包括1949年成立的未开发土地调查委员会（Virgin Land Investigation Committee）的报告与往来函件，该委员会负责遴选最适合士兵安置委员会开展详细调研的王室土地。该委员会于1950年初对亚纳基片区开展了实地考察，该片区最终同时接纳了士兵与平民安置者。不过本系列的多数档案形成于1956年至1976年——这也是土地开发的最密集阶段。该时间段之后虽有少量档案补充至现有案卷中，但未新增新的案卷。 本次选取的系列结束时间为1989年，该年农村金融公司（II）（VA 2985）为海茨伯里项目举办了最终清仓拍卖。本系列的最后一份档案即生成于该年度。 本系列的大量档案在过往某一时期已遭损毁，以下呈现的均为幸存档案。