Groups of twenty or so families were taken to areas where blocks of 100 to 140 acres had been surveyed, and the men began clearing to establish dairy farms. On most blocks, twenty acres were partially cleared, five intensively. However, the land itself varied greatly; north of Northcliffe, men ringbarked the huge trees to gain pastures; south, their cattle struggled on the 'desolate sand plains' and failed to thrive because there was no knowledge of how to make the soil produce good pastures.

Snowy Adam, Charlie Francis and Ken Sanders senior, carting hay on Group 147 1930's Photograph courtesy of the Northcliffe Pioneer Museum

Aboriginal people were marginalised, and few remained in the area. Meanwhile, the government lacked funds, and the Depression meant that the Groupies could not sell their produce at economic rates. Northcliffe, as one of the most isolated of the settlements, was generally regarded as one of the most miserable.

	By the mid 1930's, a majority of the settlers had walked off their Northcliffe blocks, and the whole Group Settlement scheme was viewed as a terrible failure. Those who stayed gradually consolidated their holdings, and diversified their farming. In the late 1930's a small timber mill was built, and there were attempts at tobacco growing.
Main Steet 1930     Photograph courtesy of the Northcliffe Pioneer Museum
The next major change came after World War II with the advent of new technology, chiefly the chain-saw. Timber was cut and the land cleared at a rapid rate.

In 1963, Bunnings purchased the Kauri Timber Company mill, and intensified its operations after signing an agreement in 1972 with Japan to sell wood-chips. Some locals opposed Bunnings' clear-felling practices, and their numbers were swelled by the arrival of so-called 'Alternative lifestylers' who moved to Northcliffe from the city. Many were seeking a simpler life in closer harmony with nature; some came from radical political backgrounds.

Felled karri tree 1925

In the 1980's, mineral sands explorations provoked further protests, as some locals perceived the benefit of tourism, while others valued the unique ecosystem which made the Northcliffe area one of the richest in Australia for botanical diversity. Bunnings closed their mill in 1995, yet the town defied the prognostications of disaster, and people focused on diversifying the local economy.

By 2000, the town was divided between different groups whose present attitudes have been shaped to some degree by their different histories. Nevertheless, the people of Northcliffe have a strong sense of the past, and act together as a community on a wide range of issues.

Written by Professor Patricia Crawford, University of Western Australia

Northcliffe Community Web Site Launch

His Excellency , Governor of Western Australia, Lieutenant General John Sanderson launched the Northcliffe Community web site on 29th October 2001. This was just the beginning. - now we are looking for locals to help keep it current, useful and interesting.

Have a look through the site and if you are interested in being responsible for a small section of it - for example the dairy, timber or any other industry pages, a youth section, local news, real estate, arts or a community project, please get in touch. The idea is to use it for sharing information, celebrating our successes and promoting Northcliffe and its way of life..

July 20002
State Government releases proposed boundaries for three new national parks

November 2007 New community centre opened

November 2007, the Southern Forest Sculpture Walk officially opened