Albury

ALBURY.) (iv.) Western Plains: a dry climate, invigorating in winter, but liable to suffer from droughts, dust-storms and, more locally, from floods. Temperatures are higher in the north—ay. ann.: summer winter F. Av. ann. rainfall from 7 in. in the north-west; 10-15 in. along the Darling; 20 in.

in the east. (See BROKEN HILL.) Economics.—The general facts relating to the distribution of minerals, soils and natural vegetation have been given under AUSTRALIA (q.v.). The clear physical differentiations indicated above, together with the stage of growth attained, give the economic development of New South Wales a marked regional character. Climate, relief, location of minerals and accessibility (i.e., communications) are dominant factors in the distribution of the population. The following survey therefore proceeds upon the basis of four regions, viz., Western Plains ; Central Plains; Tablelands; Coastal Lowlands. The last three occupy belts roughly parallel with the coast-line and admit of subdivision into North, Central and Southern sections.

Western Plains,

occupying the west and north-west portion (80,312,000 ac.= 125,487 sq.m. or of the State) west of the courses of the Lachlan, Marra, and Upper Darling (Barwon) rivers, has abundance of good soils but a poor and unreliable rain fall-8-1 g in. ; under io in. over -4 of its area—and suffers occasionally from fierce heats, droughts, floods and always from introduced rabbits. Mining and pastoral pursuits alone have im portance. In the north-west is Broken Hill (q.v.); the once famous Cobar-Nymagee copper area, which is just included in the east, has suspended production, and opal mining (White Cliffs, etc., in the north-west ; Lightning Ridge field-1 2,000 acres —in the north-east—is depressed (output 1926: in,500). It is an area of isolation, "wide open spaces," large long-term lease holds, over 63% of the total area being occupied by 196 holdings of over ioo,000 acres each. The country produces fine-wooled merinos, but its carrying capacity varies greatly with the seasons and is generally low (4o-13o sheep per sq. mile according to season, or of that of the lands further east). The livestock (1926) consisted mainly of 8,560,00o sheep, 100,000 head of cattle, 30,00o horses, and the total production (1925-26) of 65, 000,000 lb. wool (less than 6 of the total pastoral produce of the State) ; minerals and mineral products to value of 15,072,000.

he total population was 44,500 (I person per 3 sq. mi.; without Broken Hill, 1 per 6 sq. miles) or 1.9% of the population of the State, Broken Hill alone accounting for 24,000. Apart from this the settlements consist mainly of collecting and distributing cen tres for pastoral areas situated on railway lines (Cobar, etc.), on rivers (Wilcannia, Wentworth), or on both (Bourke, popula tion c. 1,000; Walgett, Menindee, etc.) besides isolated stations and mining camps. Railways link Bourke, Cobar, Walgett and other towns on or near the eastern boundary—rivers with the eastern parts of the State and with Sydney, and the recently com pleted line from Sydney to Broken Hill (Condobolin-Ivanhoe Menindee) traverses the heart of the area (east to west) and should help to develop much territory. Though increasingly tapped by railways the Darling still carries traffic (e.g., wool to South Australia) in good seasons, and for the rest transport is by camel etc., train—increasingly by motor—over rough tracks.

The Central Plains

form a natural extension of the western, large portions of them being little distinguished as regards relief from the latter. Thus in the north-west they comprise the low

flat lands stretching east of the Barwon-Marra rivers, and in the south-east the broad Riverina plains are only divided from the western plains by the Murrumbidgee and Lachlan rivers. Further east the land slopes gradually up, but, except in the centre (Cobar Wyalong area) there is little above i,000 ft. and few rugged features. But its rainfall, though rather scanty and unreliable, is better than that further west (15-24 in., the greater quantity in the north-18-28 in.—being balanced by greater evaporation). The rivers from the highlands further east stream across these lowlands but are of no great service, being irregular in flow, entrenched in places, and liable to flood. Artesian supplies have proved a great boon and have been extensively exploited, especially in the north-west and south-west. The soils, red-brown loams and black soils, are good but the latter are very heavy and have only recently begun to be worked. Of the total area (c. 41,420.00o ac. =64,719 sq.m.) some are occupied, of which 62% has been alienated from the Crown, and though holdings of io,000 acres and upwards account for 19% (89 over 50,000 ac. each), medium to small-sized holdings are common further east and particularly in the Riverina. The area, in fact, forms a climatic and economic transition zone. In the west pastoral pursuits; in the east, mixed agriculture and grazing ; in the Riverina and a few other parts agriculture alone, or dairying alone, are practised. The area con tains 4o% of the agricultural lands of the State; and in the north-west and south-west portions are some of the best sheep lands. Along the east the fringes of the wheat-belt are included. The io in. winter rainfall line (7 months: April-October, the growing season) runs roughly down the middle (north north-east–south-south-west) of the area, and to this the wheat "frontier" approximates, falling behind it in the north-east but overstepping it to the extent of 5,000,000 acres and pushing for ward into rainfall areas of 8-9 in. (April–Oct.) in the centre and particularly in the south-west (Riverina). Thus, while grazing, with a little mixed and other farming, predominates in the north, mixed farming—mainly sheep and wheat—arable farming, fruit growing (vines, etc.) and dairying increase in importance in the south. A special place, in virtue of its irrigation areas, and its wider range of possibilities, is taken by the Riverina (q.v.). The total live-stock amounted (1926) to 18,413,00o sheep, 300,000 cattle, 132,000 horses, 12,000 dairy cattle, but the numbers vary greatly according to season (e.g., sheep: 1891, 25,000,000; 1921, 14,000,000; dairy cattle: 1911, 48,000). Similarly the sheep carrying capacity, though high (266.6 per sq. mile) varies from 351-205 per sq. mile. The total production of the area (1925-26) amounted to: wool, 136,500,000 lb.; wheat, 11,400,000 bu., butter, 216,000,000 lb.; minerals, etc., £672,000. With a total population of 115,640, the area had (1926) a density of 1.8 persons per sq. mile. The chief settlements, apart from the pastoral river centres common to this and the Western Plains (Walgett, Hillston, Balranald, etc.), are centres of mixed pastoral and farming areas: Moree (4,361 in 1933), Narrabri—a railway junction town in a sheep, dairy, and fruit area, with butter fac tories and freezing works—and Coonamble in the north, Nyngan and Condobolin in the centre, and a large number of similar settlements in the Riverina.