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The scheme had its origins in the late 1940's with the discovery by the CSIRO and Waite Institute scientists that the addition of small quantities of the trace elements of copper and zinc to superphosphate would overcome the soil deficiencies that had hampered successful development of the Ninety Mile Desert in South Australia.
Australian Mutual Provident Society (AMP), keen to broaden its
investment portfolio and recognising the
opportunity for an investment project of national significance,
assembled a project team and committed the funds
to undertake the development of the land.
By the end of 1950 the development was in full swing. The South
Australian Government introduced special
legislation to meet the unusual circumstances of AMP's proposal. The
Act, known as The Land Settlement
(Development Leases) Act, was passed unanimously by both houses of
Parliament.
The labour force for the scheme was recruited from prospective
settlers. After working five years on the project
each worker was offered a farm fully equipped, on terms that would
ensure a reasonable living. AMP's direct
involvement ended in 1964 with the sale of the last portion of
land.
In late 1993 AMP was approached by a group of locals of Keith (a town
within the scheme) to fund a memorial
to the activities of AMP and the people involved in the Land
Development scheme. They were keen to establish
an historical site which commemorated such an important part of their
history.
Their proposal was to build a memorial park with original huts and
machinery used by the pioneers with a
Landrover, the only means of transport used and central to the success
of the scheme, placed on a pole in the
middle of the memorial area.
Having obtained development consent and constructed the various
exhibits it was unveiled on Sunday 26 November 1995.
Location: Dukes Highway,
Keith, South Australia (3 hours drive SE of Adelaide)
- Leith Howie [web page]
URL:/4WD.html
PS. Before a desperate SI restorer hires a crane, the internals of the engine, gearbox and axles are either missing or u/s.
