Rosewood History

From the Queensland Times (Ipswich), Thursday, 14 January 1915, page 3.

Through the Rosewood District.
(4)
(By Our Travelling Representative.) 

From Ashwell on to Rosewood some nice farms are observable, and the holdings in proximity to the township are gradually becoming subdivided into residential sites. Around the northern end of Rosewood there has been a great deal of development in this connection during the past five years, and the class of houses erected is a very creditable one. Rosewood being the centre of a splendid district, there is a tremendous amount of traffic there, and every kind of business is substantially catered for. 

The township has been built on a rather uninviting location, and has hitherto been very badly drained, consequently after any rain the streets were perfect quagmires. The general public were usually well able to form their own conclusion regarding the Rosewood mud upon the occasion of the annual show, which has had a very “wet” record. But the progressive spirit which hats prevailed in the local governing body for some years has been responsible for a much-debated drainage scheme becoming an accomplishment, and the condition of the streets and footpaths of Rosewood since the completion of this scheme has shown a very desirable improvement. 

A disastrous fire broke out in the main street some seven or eight months ago, and in the room of the destroyed buildings some very fine up-to-date business premises have been erected. In the township two sawmills do a thriving business, and employ a fair number of hands regularly. North of the township are some splendid coal seams, and the Glencoe Colliery (Halls, Limited) has been working constantly since its opening some years ago.  The Marburg railway line passes this pit, and has proved to be of considerable benefit in the matter-of despatching the output. 

There has been a good deal of agitation in the township for the establishment of a butter factory there, but, up to the present, the efforts in that direction have been fruitless. The chief obstacle seems to be the difficulty of obtaining a suitable water supply, and, besides, the nearness to the present butter factories at Booval, Walloon, Marburg, and Laidley seems to be a factor in preventing any of the companies doing business in the centres named from extending their operations to Rosewood. The quantity of cream, sent from the townships daily is very considerable, and there is no doubt that a material benefit to the township would accrue if such a factory were in operation.

The Rosewood Agricultural and Horticultural Association (better known to the older hands as the Rosewood Farmers’ Club) has a very suitable piece of ground for holding its annual shows, and the present appearance of the ring and building is sufficient to indicate the spirit displayed by the association in bringing the grounds to their present creditable appearance. Most of the labour has been done by “working bees,” and there is no doubt that the improvements are a credit to the body concerned. 

Mount Marrow, some three miles from Rosewood and a mile north from Thagoona railway station, has some splendid scrub country. The crops when I was there were looking very fair, and considering the bad season were indicative of the excellence of the soil in this centre. Farming, chiefly maize and cane, and dairying constitute the industries, and some remarkably good returns are received by the farmers in a favourable season. The much talked of Mount Marrow dam was almost completed when I passed, and the contractor (Mr. Thomas O’Shea) has certainly performed his contract in a praiseworthy manner. The tank proper holds 3500 gallons, and, with the water accommodated in the dams, aggregated 600,000 gallons. The provision of this quantity of water at such a convenient spot should, indeed, be a boon, and especially in a dry spell. The contractor has excavated a number of dams in various parts of the district, and the manner in which the work has been executed is responsible for the utmost confidence being placed in his ability. 

At Thagoona some good agricultural ground is to be seen, stretching out to the various watercourses on the south of the railway line, and doubtless, when the opportunity occurs, this land will be subdivided into farms for agricultural purposes. Dairy farming on the share system is the upkeep of the place, and when the new coal mine, about a mile east from Thagoona railway station, gets into proper working order, there should be a substantial increase in the demand for dwellings situated within easy distance of the mine, 

Lanefield, like Ashwell, is noted for the splendid quality of its dairy cattle. Messrs. Alex. Rodgers and A. T. Waters have in their possession some first-class specimens of milking cattle. In looking over Mr. Rodgers’s, property, no pains were spared to demonstrate to me the success which has attended his efforts. He has been on his present holding-which consists of 440 acres-for the past 26 years, and he has been amongst stock all his life. There are about 100 acres fit for cultivation, but there is a difficulty in finding suitable labour to work it, and only enough ground is utilised to produce sufficient feed for the dairy cattle during the winter months. There were 24 cows being milked at the time of my visit-purebred Shorthorn and grade Jerseys. The sire is a pure shorthorn. At the last exhibition the well-known bull Profit was sold, and this animal, which was bred at Talgai, was the means of bringing Mr. Rodgers’s dairy stock into prominence. 

Following on the sale of Profit, a dark red bull, 16months old, was bought for 40 guineas, at the last National Show, from Mr. Young, formerly manager of Talgai, the bull having won first prize at Warwick, Allora, and Brisbane from a large field of competitors. All the shorthorn stock are Talgai blood, and Mr. Rodgers bought his present sire with the main desire to keep the colour of his as dark as possible, for, with the parents both roan, the progeny have a tendency to be white, a colour desirable for dairymen. 

Beauty, a typical shorthorn cow nine years old, had a wonderful show record, for in milking competitions alone she won not fewer than 19 first prizes (including the award at the Brisbane Exhibition), a record, I was informed which no other cow in the Commonwealth can claim. Her record fro 24 hours is 72lb of milk, and she yielded 38lb of milk on the morning on which Sir Wm. MacGregor opened the last Gatton show. It will be remembered that he then spoke in eulogistic terms regarding the quality of this animal and stated that she was fit to be exhibited in any show-ring in the world. Beauty was bred by Mr. Chittick of Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales and is by Young Reuben. 

Pet is an animal which bids fair to command an enviable show-ring career, for amongst others she has won first prize for quantity and quality at  Laidley 1913, and first and reserve champion at the last show. At Lowood and Marburg, in 1914,. Mr. Rodgers carried off the whole of the championships in the Shorthorn classes whilst at Gatton he scored champion and reserve championships for cows and championship for bull. At the last Ipswich show Mr. Rodgers got no less than 30 ribbons for his exhibits. At the Rosewood show he has won prizes for milking competition for four years in succession and he has also scored first prize for  dairy heifers for three years in succession at the Lockyer shows. The handsome silver cup donated by Mr. W. Pratt, of Ipswich, to the Rosewood Agricultural and Horticultural Association, for the most successful exhibitor, was won by Mr. Rodgers three times in succession, has since become his property, been won at the shows of 1910-11-12. Mr. H. M. Stevens, M.L.A., also donated a beautiful silver cup for winner of the milking competitions and this has been won by Mr. Rodgers’s exhibit twice in succession. 

The milk yield from his dairy is separated, the cream being forwarded to Booval. The dairy shows that the owner of the property had his plans well thought out, for the building is very cool, but he has decided on building one closer to the milking shed, so as to lessen the labour of carrying the milk. The milking shed is really a skillion to a fine commodious hay-shed, which is equipped with all the necessary appliances and conveniences required on a farm nowadays. The proprietor has commenced a number of improvements in the matter of feeding his dairy animals from the hay shed, and when his scheme is completed he should have a very convenient plant. 

The floors of the milking bails were laid out and cemented by Mr. Rodgers before any Dairy Act came in force,. an they are kept scrupulously clean. The cow-yard has a foundation of logs, which have been covered with gravel, and this obviates a lot of inconvenience in wet weather. Close to the milking-shed and hay-shed is a large underground well, which supplies water for cleansing purposes and for stud stock. 

Calves are reared in preference to pigs. A Clydesdale stallion is kept for service on the farm, and Mr. Rodgers has some exceptionally choice mares which have won distinction at shows, beating some Maryvale mares. Poultry receives a good deal of attention, and white Leghorn fowls provide the main supply of eggs. The whole property has a general air of prosperity, and Mr. Rodgers claims to have one the best paying dairy herds in the district.