Agriculture at Katherine, Northern Territory: elusive or illusory?

Abstract

This thesis undertakes a study in agricultural geography. Two geographic models are used to examine the biophysical environment as well as human behaviour in a programme of agricultural development. The classical von Thiinen model relates economic rent earned by each mode of agricultural land use to distance from a market-place in an ideal state. This model also provides a framework for considering the major aspects of commercial agriculture in practical situation— yields, prices, costs of production and freight rates. Regional development is placed in a context of national development in time by the centre-periphery model. This model allows for a holistic view of development by recognizing social, political and cultural influences as well as economic aspects. Katherine was selected as the study area because during the period of the Commonwealth administration of the Territory, it carried all hopes for cropping development in the Territory. Farming was first drawn there in 1923-24 by abundant rainfall in the wet season and the ready availability of land. Cotton, peanuts and grain sorghum were grown over the years but all failed to generate sufficiently high returns to allow development to take place. In later years horticulture, on small, well-defined areas, and animal industries in association with improved pastures on larger holdings, have slowly achieved some measure of success. A method of analysis based on von Thiinen1 s ideal state reveals the relative importance of yields, prices, costs and freight charges in the economic results of agriculture at Katherine. Yields were low because too little was known about the environment which varied greatly and meagre returns were quickly eroded by high costs. Agriculture failed to initiate regional development. Better results could have been achieved if more effort and financial resources had been committed but, as the centre-periphery analysis shows, Katherine was never of sufficient importance for the nation to make the necessary commitment. New proposals for agricultural development on the Douglas-Daly Rivers and the Adelaide River will need to overcome these shortcomings if they are to be successful Show more