The completion of the Moama-Deniliquin stage of the railway from Melbourne in 1876 contributed to the dramatic increase in Deniliquin’s population. Pictured is H Moser's famed photo of the Beyer Peacock locomotive No.1 arriving in Deniliquin in 1875.
Photo by
Moser, H.
This is the 13th article in a series of monthly columns written by Alan Henderson about Deniliquin district historical events and issues. Alan’s grandfather purchased ‘Warragoon’ on the Finley Road in 1912. Alan was born in the Deniliquin Hospital in 1944 but moved to Canberra in 1967. In retirement he has written a family history, Boots, Gold and Wool, and will share some of his research in this local history column.
The 2021 Census results released in June recorded Deniliquin’s population at 6,431, somewhat lower than 2016.
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Our population has been in the range 6000 to 8000 for more than 50 years.
Deniliquin experienced a similar period of population stability between 1881 and 1921, reflecting the impact of the 1890s recession, the Federation drought and World War I.
The European pastoralists in the Riverina settled along the rivers and most of the towns were established at river crossings, not least Deniliquin “… it being at the best crossing place on the Edward River” (Surveyor Townsend, 1848.)
The subsequent growth of towns has been influenced by the fertility of the soils, climate, markets for agricultural produce and government policies, including for railways, closer settlement, irrigation schemes and rural research.
In the Riverina in 1861, the population of Deniliquin of 632 was second only to Albury, a fraction larger than Wagga (627), and almost four times the size of Hay (172).
Deniliquin had grown rapidly in the 1850s, at the southern point of a funnel of fat livestock travelling from as far afield as Queensland destined for the populous Victorian goldfields.
In 1859, 116,000 cattle and 366,000 sheep crossed the Murray into Victoria at Albury, Moama, and Swan Hill, with Moama accounting for around 70 per cent of the traffic south (G L Buxton, The Riverina 1861-1891, 1967).
A significant proportion of the meat consumed by Victorians walked past Deniliquin on its way to Moama.
By 1901 the population of Hay (3,012) exceeded that of Deniliquin (2,644).
The completion of the Moama-Deniliquin stage of the railway from Melbourne in 1876 contributed to the dramatic increase in Deniliquin’s population from 1,118 in 1871 to 2,506 in 1881.
However, by 1882, as well as being a vibrant river port, Hay had a rail link to Sydney.
It provided greater opportunities for cropping in the district and an alternative market, avoiding the protective Victorian duties payable at the border, including on live animals and meat.
The extension of the railway to Jerilderie in 1884 also impacted Deniliquin.
Eventually, Federation offered a way to eliminate frustrating colonial border customs duties.
In Deniliquin, 92 per cent voted in favour of Federation compared with only 57 per cent in NSW as a whole.
In the 20th century, closer settlement and irrigation schemes became dominant influences on town populations.
By 1921, Deniliquin was somewhat larger than Hay and over the following 60 years Deniliquin continued to grow.
The population of the municipality reached 7,354 in 1981, whereas the shire of Hay was less than 4000.
Brad Chalmers’ encyclopaedic centenary history of the Conargo Shire, The Sunlit Plains Extended (2007), documents the extent of subdivisions and soldier settlement.
Subdivisions on Tuppal and Hartwood stations started in 1910-11 and continued elsewhere with WWI and WWII schemes for soldier settlers.
Even during the Great Depression, impact of closer settlement on population and the demand for supplies and services in Deniliquin was significant. Pictured is a horsedrawn reaper binder on 'Selbourne', Deniliquin in the 1920s. Photo courtesy of Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales.
Many WWI solders experienced severe hardship through the drought of the late 1920s and the collapse of prices during the ensuing Great Depression.
Even so, the impact of closer settlement on population and the demand for supplies and services in Deniliquin was significant.
In 1950, the government acquired a 2304 acres of my father’s property ‘Wolngi’ to be subdivided between four WWII soldier settlers - Gerry McMillan, John Gemmell, Bruce Long and Charlie Clegg.
The population in the Conargo Shire more than doubled to 1749 in the 60 years to 1981.
Closer and more intense farming was enabled by irrigation.
The completion of Stevens Weir on the Edward River in 1935 enabled the diversion of water to establish the Wakool Irrigation District.
In 1943, as a war time food supply initiative, 2000 hectares of rice was planted.
Drag lines excavating Mulwala Canal at Deniliquin in August 1939. Photo courtesy Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales.
The Berriquin Provisional Domestic and Stock Water Supply and Irrigation District was gazetted in 1933 and in October 1940 the water from the Mulwala Canal flowed on my father’s farm at Blighty.
The water would have taken much longer to arrive if the horses and scoops that initially started constructing the canal in 1935 had not been replaced in 1936 by huge draglines imported from the United Kingdom.
As well as increased business for farm supply and service enterprises, irrigation generated other employment opportunities.
In 1944 the CSIRO established a laboratory in Deniliquin with 35 staff, including seven research officers, by 1954.
This increased to about 70 in the 1970s.
Regrettably, the laboratory closed in 1990 when staff levels were about 50.
The former offices at 443 Charlotte St, Deniliquin are now occupied by Murray Irrigation Limited.
In 1970, the Ricegrowers Cooperative (now SunRice Group) built a large mill which has subsequently been upgraded and expanded on several occasions.
The rice harvest in the Murray Valley did not exceed 50,000 tonnes until 1969, but in the 1980s it averaged more than 280,000 tonnes annually.
The mill has boosted freight on the railway south that was so important to the growth of Deniliquin in the 19th century.
The mill closed in 2007 in association with the Millennial Drought but reopened in 2010.
Government policies and initiatives have had a significant impact on Deniliquin’s population in the last 150 years, and given the importance of the Murray Darling Basin Plan that seems likely to continue.
