Proposed as affordable estates, Closer Settlement Farms were a way for the government to increase the profitability of the ‘new’ nation by promoting rural settlement and agricultural expansion. Immediately following Federation, the passing of the Closer Settlement Act in 1904 set in motion the re-acquisition of ‘Crown Land’ for subdivision and sale. This 1911 Tibereenah […]
In 1902, the real estate agency Holmes, Wickham, and Co. received instruction to sell by auction a subdivision belonging to J. E. Spurr in Germanton (now known as Holbrook). On the 14th of March, the day prior to the sale, The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express reported that Germanton was quickly developing, and that this […]
Drawn up in 1901, 1914 and 1920, these land subdivision sale posters from Toronto, Lake Macquarie, illustrate small pieces of what was essentially an enormous jigsaw puzzle. Named the Toronto Estate, the ‘puzzle’ had been created in 1885-7, when the attractive lakeside land was first divided and auctioned by the Excelsior Land Investment and Building […]
Museums & Galleries of NSW acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands that comprise the state now known as NSW.
We pay respect to them as First Nations people with a continuing connection to land, place, waters and community
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that this site contains stories, images, voices, and video of people who have died.
Some material may contain terms that reflect common usage of the period in which it was written or recorded but may not be considered appropriate today. Such terms do not reflect the views of Museums and Galleries of NSW and are provided only to reflect historical context.