Soldier Settlement (Australia) - Rules of Holding Soldier Settlement Land

Rules of Holding Soldier Settlement Land

In most cases Crown land was set apart for returning soldiers who in order to buy or lease such a block were required to be certified as qualified and to remain in residence on that land for 5 years. In this way remote rural areas set aside for such settlement were guaranteed a population expansion which remained to increase infrastructure in the area.

Soldiers who were successful in gaining such a block of land had the opportunity to start a farming life in a number of rural activities including as wool, dairy, cattle, pigs, fruit, fodder and grain. These initial land allotments resulted in triumph for some and despair for others. Indeed specifically following World War I, in some cases these new farmers, unable to cope with the climatic variances of Australia and devoid of the capital to increase stock or quality of life, simply walked off the land back to the large towns and cities from whence they had come.

The success of the program increased after World War II when the infrastructure required for these new farmers was improved as a direct result of learning from the mistakes that came during and after the first attempts at such settlement.