THE SQUATTER saw his pastures wide
Decrease, as one by one
The farmers moving to the west
Selected on his run;
Selectors took the water up
And all the black soil round;
The best grass-land the squatter had
Was spoilt by Ross’s Ground.
Henry Lawson 'The Fire at Ross's Farm'
Background
The alienation of land in the colony has a long and convoluted history. These databases and references have been sourced from either the Government Gazette or the Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly of NSW. In both cases with some exceptions, they relate to the possessions of the 'Squatters'. So if your ancestors were squatters they provide details as to acreage, rentals etc. And if they were not, but employed on a property / run , may provide some foliage to the family tree.
The exceptions are firstly the data base which I have called Residents of NSW 1885 which is explained in full in the links (See below). Secondly the Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly of 1862 which contains a return of all Crown Lands put up for auction 1860 - 61 and the first half of 1862 (excluding town allotments).
Other Parliamentary returns of interest to researchers are the Votes & Proceedings 1863 - 64 which are detailed below ( see Crown Lands Auction Sales & Conditional Purchases)
Landholders 1885 ( Residents of NSW 1885)
This important and unique index contains 39,857 entries and is based on the 1885 census of the occupiers of land and owners of stock in New South Wales. So if your ancestors were here in 1885 and whether they lived in the town or country, owned land or not it is most likely that they had a horse or a milking cow and maybe a few pigs and if so, they would be included in this 'census'.
Landholders 1848 - 1850 New South Wales CD No: 5
In 1848,1849 and 1850 the Government Gazette published the names of applicants for leasehold .The entries contain the following information: - name of applicant, name of the run, the pastoral district, owner (s) of adjoining runs where stated, details of the run such as acreage, carrying capacity for sheep and cattle, the location and in some cases a brief description of the run. The link shows a typical number of entries (N/A)
Landholders 1848 -1850 Victoria. CD No: 19
In 1848, 1849 and 1850 the NSW Government Gazette republished from the Port Phillip Government Gazette the names of over 800 applicants for leasehold in the then pastoral districts of Bourke, Gipps, Grant, Murray, Portland Bay, Western Port and Wimmera.
The entries contain the following information: - name of applicant, name of the run, the pastoral district, owner(s) of adjoining runs where stated, details of the run such as acreage, carrying capacity for sheep and cattle, the location and in some cases a brief description of the run.
Follow this link for sample of the CD date base.
Landholders 1865 - 66
A listing of Crown Lands held under pastoral occupation in the First and Second Class Settled and Unsettled Districts as at 4 April 1866. The list provides the name of over 3500 runs, varying in size from 2000 to over 100,000 acres, the Lessee or tenant, estimated area, annual rent, assessment, date of commencement of the present tenure and term of the present tenure and appraised rent.
The pastoral districts are Albert, Bligh, Clarence, Darling, Gwydir, Lachlan. Liverpool Plains, Macleay, Monaro, Murrumbidgee, New England, Warrego and Wellington.
Unfortunately for researchers neither the name of the Lessee nor the run are arranged in alphabetical order.
This is a work in progress (2000 + entries to date) and the link will identify the name of the property / run and the lessee or tenant entered to date but I will have to look up the other information.
Note that the list provides the date of commencement of the tenure and in the case where the lessee has more than one run, provides an interesting perspective of pastoral expansion.
Landholders 1878
This listing is of the "Occupation of Lands" as at September 1878.
It contain considerable details ; the name of run, the Lessee, the original run area, the present area of run under pastoral lease, the annual rent, the annual rent payable per square mile now under Pastoral Lease, the area of purchased land attached to each run, date of last appraisement, and the date of commencement of present tenure.
Districts held are:- Albert , Bligh, Clarence, (part only), Darling, Gwydir, Lachlan - some indecipherable, Liverpool Plains, Macleay, Monaro (part only), Murrumbidgee (part .only), New England, Warrego and Wellington.
Landholders 1871
This listing of landholders contains the name of the Lessee, the Post Town and pastoral district and rent paid. It lists all the properties owned by a particular 'lessee' and thus provides an interesting perspective of land ownership in the colony.
Landholders 1900
Entries provide details of the :-
Name of landholder. holding, postal address; whether a dairy farmer or grazier and the crops grown by them if any, and also crops grown by Agriculturists.
Return of Annual Leases for the First Class Settled Districts for Y.E. 31 Dec. 1865.
Provides Lessee, District, No of Lots, Rent of Leases and Area of Leases.. Arranged in alphabetical order of District / Town.
Crown Land Auction sales 1 Jan 1860 -30 June 1862
This shows the date of auction, the place where held, the upset price per acre, the price realised, the name of the purchaser, the name of any bidders against, the acreage and the total amount paid. The record contains over 10,00 entries which are not arranged in alphabetical order.
This listings is important as it is more likely to include small land owners as it excludes allotments greater than 320 acres (129 hectares) and the vast majority of allotments are about 40 acres.
Conditional Purchases of Crown Land under the Alienation Act of 1861.
Contains names of purchaser, area purchased. district, class of land, amount received, balance remaining and date when balance is payable. Contains 7000 names which are not arranged in alphabetical order. . The same return also provides an account of those 604 purchasers whose Conditional Purchase was disallowed and the interesting reasons for such. Work in progress 6000 entries to date.
Also provides the 'Conditional Purchase Number'. Note that a 'conditional purchase' may have a number of owners before the final owner. The final owner is the one who made the final payment and meet all the requirements. His name will be in the Torrens Title Index.
Some notes (draft) regarding the conditional purchase of land.
Sample of Conditional Purchases Disallowed
All entries (3600) as at 3 Jan 2008
Lapsed Conditional Purchasers. June 1885
Provides notice of those Conditional and Additional Conditional Purchasers of land under the several Acts relating to the alienation of Crown Lands which have become lapsed through non-receipt of the necessary declarations and non-payment of balance, interest or instalment of purchase money.
The list provides the name of approximately 800 purchasers, the CP number, date of purchase, district, area, county, parish, papers reference number, the lease application, the charting number and the portion.
Forfeited Conditional Purchases. June 1885
Contains the details of those portions of Crown land conditionally purchased under the Crown land Alienation Act of 1861, the lands Acts further amendment Act of 1880 which were 'declared forfeited'.
The list provides the name of approximately 1000 purchasers, the CP number, date of purchase, district, area, county, parish, papers reference number, the lease application, the charting number and the portion.
Applications for the conversion of Pre-exemptive into Conditional Leases. July 1885.
Contains considerable details; name, address, Reg. No.; Application No.; Date of application; area applied for; County; Parish; Land District; rent; amount already paid; balance; volume and folio number on old register; particulars of Pre-lease etc.
1886 The Registered Pastoral Holders of the Crown of NSW with the names of their holding.
Contains approximately 3000 entries arranged in alphabetical order of the registered holder. For those historians interested in the large pastoral companies and banks e.g. Bank of Australia, Australian Joint Stock Bank , Dalgety & Co. etc it provides a insight into the extent of their land holdings.
Deeds of Grant July 1884 - 31 March 1885
A listing of 'Deeds of Grant' received under the Real Property Act for over 4000 persons between 1st July 1884 and the 31 March 1885. The list contains useful information for those researching land details at the Lands Department as it provides the name of the grantee, Land Department No. of the Grant, the volume and folio number of the Register book, the situation of the land , its area, amount of Assurance Fees and amount of Stamp Duty.
Properties and Runs ( Under Construction)
This data base contains the names of properties and runs in the colony of New South Wales pre 1900. The entry provides the name of the lessee or owner and in most case some other details. In all cases it provide a reference to where more information can be obtained. I possess all the references quoted and both lookups and research are available.