The plough is an important implement in farming and has been so for centuries. Its purpose is to help in preparing a seedbed for crop planting.
It is uncertain when the first plough reached Northern Tasmania, the Colony’s major cropping region. In 1805, with the settlement facing starvation, Lieut. Gov. William Paterson wrote to Gov. King in Sydney, requesting he send a complete plough, two good carts and an assignment of convicts with farming skills.
King responded that all implements were needed in Sydney, but did forward a batch of convicts.
In 1809, a plough was loaded in Sydney for forwarding to Port Dalrymple, Northern Tasmania, but rough weather forced the boat back to port. It is likely the voyage to Launceston occurred in 1810, but it is not known where the first ploughing took place, probably near the North Esk River.
It is apparent that cropping quickly got underway, as the Muster for Norfolk Plains, an area adjoining Launceston, in 1823 recorded 2,472 acres under cultivation. Other advised details, 204 free people, 349 convicts, 25,482 sheep, 3,513 cattle, 107 horses and 1,108 pigs. The Norfolk Plains region covered around 1,500,000 acres of mostly flat land of good quality mostly stone free soil, was lightly timbered and enjoyed regular moderate rainfall. Wheat became the chief crop grown, with tens of thousands of acres being planted annually, producing first quality grain, which was much sought after and exported to New South Wales, Victoria and England. At Longford four mills were kept busy grinding wheat into flour. Other flour mills were established throughout the region. It became known as the “Bread Basket” of Australia.
Supporting industries soon developed, including blacksmith shops, making ploughs and other farm machinery. Henry Blackwell of Bishopsbourne was noted for his plough making and selling throughout Tasmania and Victoria. Another was Lee Brothers at Longford.
Ploughs to the mid eighteen hundreds era were constructed of wooden beams and handles with steel mouldboards, side plates, shares and a few stays but later were all iron. All ploughs were single furrowed. An extra was a gun tied to the plough handles, carried to ward off bushrangers and natives.
Around 1860, a depth wheel was added to give more even ploughing and greater control. The earlier ploughs becoming known as “swing” ploughs. They needed the constant attention of the ploughman to control evenness of depth and straightness of furrows. It was physically demanding. Work skills in horsemanship were also needed.
By 1880, double mouldboard ploughs were being made, and to power an extra horse was added to the team, with three horses mostly used to pull the plough.
The standard day’s work, cutting 9-inch furrows, was one acre of land and equalled 11 miles of walking by the ploughman. The distance was exactly the same when using a double furrowed plough, but covering 2 acres per day.
A skilled ploughman was a much-valued employee and sought after, sometimes being advertised for in newspapers. Between 1840 and 1890 some squires with large areas of land, completely or partly paid the ship’s passage for English and Scottish ploughmen and their families. They were mostly bonded for a certain period.
At settlement, ploughs were first pulled by a team of convicts chained together and under armed guard. They were replaced by bullocks but gradually with horse numbers increasing from around the 1840s, horses were mostly used. These work plodding giants had good strength and pulling power.
Competition Events
Over many years through the 1800s ploughing competitions were regularly held and became a much looked forward to social event.
In Northern Tasmania, Associations were established at Launceston (known as Cornwall) and to the north at Lilydale and Piper’s River, in the east at White Hills, Breadalbane, and Evandale, south at Bishopsbourne, Cressy, Cleveland, and Campbell Town, and west at Carrick, Hagley, Westbury, Exton, Deloraine and Chudleigh.
One of the most famous ploughing events occurred at “Westfield”, Westbury on 21 May 1853. Some 80 teams assembled there at sunrise, swelling to 126 within an hour. During the day they managed to plough 100 acres of very stubborn soil. Strangely, there was no prize allowed, although awards were given. The value of the horse teams was estimated at £30,000, a large sum for those days.
Little Hampton/Bishopsbourne 1846 ploughing event per newspaper reports . In 1846 plans were drawn up to hold a match on 13 August with competitors to be natives of the Colony. The following prizes were decided 1st. £10, 2nd. £5, 3rd. £3., for the straightest furrow, 1 guinea.
A Champion event was scheduled to take place the following day. Any man paying ten shillings and six pence will be allowed to plough for the Champion.
Champion prize £10, second £4, straightest furrow £1.
Thursday being the day appointed for the Grand Ploughing meeting at Little Hampton, a great number of gentlemen and farmers from the surrounding district hastened to the place of rendezvous at an early hour. There was the greatest bustle and excitement for miles around in the prospect of the day’s competition.
Shortly after 10 o’clock, the ploughs were brought onto the ground belonging to Mr. William Field adjoining the “Bush Inn”
The competitors dressed in their “Sunday Best” with the additions of colours of every kind and hue, appeared in the highest spirits, every one of the worthy fellows were determined to win. The work was then commenced and in the estimation of competent judges, more sturdy and regular furrows could not have been made. At the conclusion of the work, the judges proceeded with their examination while the company adjourned to the well-furnished hostel of Mr. Webb.
In the course of the afternoon the awards of the judges were declared as follows:
- 1st Prize 10 pound to Mr. James Keating, servant of Mr. W. Field
- 2nd Prize 5 pound to George Lucas, servant of his father.
- 3rd Prize to George Keating, a lad of 17 years of age and brother of the winner of the 1st. prize.
- Prize of One Guinea for the straightest furrow to John Miller.
A smug and select company of gentlemen dined together at the “Bush Inn” and the harmony of good cheer of the evening will long be in subject of pleasing remembrance of those who were fortunate enough to attend.
The Champion prize of 10 pound was contested on August 14th, there were 16 to start for it, including James Keating the winner of the head prize. The man won the principal prize at last year’s meeting and George Lucas the 3rd prize.
The following names entered the contest (All ploughed with Horses):
- George Fansell T Hortle
- N Hodgetts William Ward
- Charles Dell John Beesly
- James Keating W Touchstone
- Robert Beams James Taylor
- James Miller James Finan
- Daniel Cox
- James Hodgess (ploughed with bullocks)
Prizes:
- N Hodgetts 1st prize 10 pound
- D Cox 2nd Prize 4 pound
- R Beams Best Furrow 1 pound
Mr. John Dell gave a new plough on Saturday for the straightest furrow, fourteen ploughmen started, and never was seen a finer lot of furrows. The winner was declared to be Mr. Robert Beams.
Inter Colonial Ploughing Match – 15 March 1875
This was a major event conducted on “Enfield” at Bishopsbourne.
There were 30 entries in the single furrow event of which 9 were from Victoria. For the first time a section for double furrow ploughs was included, with 3 entries all from Victoria. These ploughs were of much interest to the large crowd attending, estimated at around 3,000 people.
To assist with attendance trains were rescheduled to run earlier and numerous business houses in Launceston closed their doors for the day.
Place getters for single furrow ploughing were:
- W Ross Ballarat 1 67 points
- W Mahoney Victoria 2 65 points
- D Harris Victoria 3 63 points
- A Robertson Cressy 4 61 points
- J Pearn Adelphi 5 60 points
- J Draffin Ballarat 6 65 points
Of the ploughs being used, 9 were built by Blackwell of Bishopsbourne.
The Destruction of Competition Ploughing Plots. An interesting story comes from an event held at “Hagley House” last century. It is said the competition extended into the evening, and with the fast-fading light, it became impossible to complete judging; therefore, it was decided to hold over final judging till the ′morrow. But all was not well next morning, hidden by the cover of darkness and probably the sounds of revelry, someone had smoothed out the completed plots with horse and harrow. One now can only image the resulting intrigue and raised passions generated by that dastardly act.
World Ploughing Titles, Tasmania – 14th. and 15th. June 1982
Over two days, 37 competitors from 19 countries came together at “Mt Ireh”, Longford for competition. It created much interest with over 30,000 attending over the two days.
The event was opened by the Australian Prime Minister of the day, Mr. Malcolm Fraser, during which time he unveiled a cairn of peace at the ploughing site. The monument is topped off with an old-fashioned horse-drawn match plough.
In the souvenir handbook prepared for the occasion, a farmer is shown ploughing – is that of Stewart Badcock pictured at a ploughing competition at Relbia. This same photo was adapted and printed on a million beer cans, produced by Boags Brewery of Launceston, to quench the thirst of spectators and competitors alike.
Placings at the event:
- Ian Miller New Zealand 1st.
- Elvery Hunt New Zealand 2nd.
- Sven Arne Heum Norway 3rd.
Miscellaneous Items
The philosophy of many ploughmen was “Near enough is not good enough”. Farmers and particularly competition ploughmen try to leave respectable work, especially if near a road or somewhere it can be viewed by the public eye. But none would be more fastidious than one Hogg’s Lane, Hagley farmer a century ago. When running furrows in his recently sown paddocks near the road, he would always have a set of harrows nearby and if he made a crooked or wriggly furrow, would immediately hook onto the harrows and obliterate it and rerun a better one, hopefully before prying eyes could see the substandard effort.
Potent Brew
During the 1870s at one ploughing match, a keg of very potent brew was produced and by the end of the day there were only a few sober people in the paddock.
Changes Over Time
By the 1890s interest in the activities of the Ploughing Associations was waning and by 1912 all Northern Tasmanian Associations had become defunct, although several groups on the North West Coast continued into the 1940s.
The use of draught horses on farms continued until tractors began to be purchased and used, gathering momentum in the 1950s. Horse numbers in Tasmania peaked at 42,000 around 1910 but by 1970 had reduced to 10,500. Reductions mostly applied to draught horses.
Interest in competition ploughing in Tasmania was rekindled in the 1950s with an Association being formed. Instead of the horse pulling the plough, it was by tractor and instead of the ploughman following the plough, he performed his exacting work from the tractor seat.
By 1959 the old plough makers, such as Blackwell of Bishopsbourne and Lee Brothers of Longford had long since made their last ploughs, although many old ploughs still remain in old farmyards. The newer ploughs are more sophisticated and bear the names of manufacturers in distant lands, Ransom and David Brown in England, Kverneland in Norway, Fiskars in Finland, being the most common.
Though the plough has changed with the passing of years and march of technology, the spirit and purpose of competition has not. It is still a competitor pitting his knowledge of the land and skill in handling the plough against his fellow competitor. Though many other events draw their competitors from a wide range of occupations, for ploughing it remains almost exclusively of farmer against farmer. It is he who knows the soil and its temperament and how it is best handled for good results.
By Ivan Badcock – 28 March 2025 & including extracts from the book, “Follow the Furrows” by Stewart Badcock