The Group Settlement Scheme commenced in 1921 to promote the establishment of the Dairy Industry in the South West. It offered almost 100,000 British migrants assisted passage to WA at a time when post war Britain was struggling economically.
Upon arrival in Western Australia the Group Settlers were given only a day or two to acclimatise before they were allocated to a Group and transported to their new home which was an area of virgin bush divided into 100 acre blocks. The tenacity of the new settlers was instantly tested. Using the timber, corrugated iron and the few basic tools provided by the scheme, they had to start work building the group camp. They constructed shelters, called humpies, which would be their homes until permanent housing was built.
A group typically comprised between twelve and twenty families with a Group Foreman in charge. The group worked together to clear the land, build fences and establish farms in areas which had previously been unable to attract settlers. Once each farm had about 25 acres cleared and a house ready for occupancy the farm would be allocated by ballot to a family. The lucky family would move to the farm whilst still continuing to work with the Group to establish the remaining farms. The process was continued until all blocks were cleared and occupied.
After a period of establishment, the settlers were required to repay a 30-year loan (not exceeding £1,000) provided by the Agricultural Bank and would get freehold title on full repayment. They were paid 10 shillings per day during the land clearing phase and offered a £10 loan for the purchase of household and agricultural equipment. The loan was interest-only for the first five years.
There were over 2000 group farms established in the South West and of these at least 700 were abandoned and many more were amalgamated in order to be sustainable. Of the 768 families to settle in the south west only 383 remained on their farms by 1924.
The Scheme was deemed a failure for many reasons but not before it established a fledgling dairy industry which was to flourish in the years to come. Some say it was the most successful failure ever.
