The farming in Australia has turned into a big business enterprise generally. Larger farme with less manpower needed. More technology and mechanisation. With distance from large centres no longer a problem the local towns become isolated. Take banks, many smaller towns now have no bank where once there were one or two. In my early days I could ring my manager who I knew personally and socially, ask for an overdraft of a loan and get instant approval. now a computer will decide if you get a loan or not.
The smaller farming communities have suffered with the closing down of many small schools with a bus taking kids to the larger centres. The lack of teachers, bank staff started the decline, closely followed by the closure of some small businesses. Highways bypassed some small towns and that added to the decline.
With dairying becoming big business we have seen the closure of many dairy co-ops and the butter factory that was the back bone of many towns. I can remember when a large dairy farm had 100 cows. The place I worked at as a kid deliverig milk had a herd of about 80 cows. That farm is now part of a beef enterprise that has approximately 30 such farms amalgamated. One family now resides where, in those years there were 30 families.
I see a change with small towns adapting. Tourists using the highways are finding a trip to the country of a pause on a long trip help in the revival. Small farms are on a comeback with the interest shown by those that want to leave the crowded cities. Farm stays are popular with families and allow a small farmer to stay in business. One property I once owned, 1800 acres, has been subdivided into eleven "rural residential" lots. I tried to sell it but coundnt find a buyer (in the 1970s with drought and poor wool and beef prices). I sold it in parts. The parts were actually small farms from the early 1900s that had been taken over by banks and resold then. The old title deeds showed owners. At one stage we had a visit from a family group that was having a reunion. They wanted to have a kook around. They brought along family photo albums which were very interesting. the residence there was a house that had been renovated by building over the old with some extensions. They showed my photos that had of the original buildings where there was three seperate buildings. One was the kitchen, another was staff accomodation and the third their home. Slab huts. We also had slab constructured stables which were the same as their old photos showed.
The parts now are back to small farms, occupied by hobby farmers. Because it is close to a reasonable town the ownes include a local cop, a school teacher. a couple that own business in the town and a couple of "alternative Llfestylers".
Life goes on. We adapt. While people want to eat there will always be agriculture. There is still room for someone who will think outside the square. I switched from big business in the sixties to get away from hustle and bustle, Started on 15 acres ended up with two grazing and cropping properties and have never regretted it. The best way to bring up a family.
