Kidman's Tree of Knowledge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kidman's Tree of Knowledge |
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Kidman's Tree of Knowledge, 2005
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| Location | Glengyle Station, Bedourie, Shire of Diamantina, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1900 - 1914 (early 20th century) |
| Official name: Kidman's Tree of Knowledge, Tree of Knowledge | |
| Type | state heritage (landscape) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600462 |
| Significant period | 1910s (historical) 1910s - (social) |
| Significant components | trees of social, historic or special significance |
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The Kidman's Tree of Knowledge is a special, old tree located on Glengyle Station in Bedourie, Queensland, Australia. It's also known simply as the Tree of Knowledge. This tree is so important that it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992, meaning it's protected for its history.
The History of Kidman's Tree
Kidman's Tree of Knowledge stands on Glengyle Station in Queensland's Diamantina area. This tree is famous because it's linked to Sir Sidney Kidman. He built a huge network of cattle stations across Australia in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
People say that Sidney Kidman camped under this big coolibah tree (Eucalyptus coolibah) when he was planning his massive cattle business. Glengyle Station became a very important part of Kidman's chain of properties. These properties eventually stretched from the Barkly Tableland all the way to South Australia. Even though Kidman visited and bought cattle from Glengyle, he didn't actually own the station until 1913.
Early Settlers in the Diamantina
European explorers first passed through the Diamantina area in the 1840s and early 1860s. However, cattle farmers didn't start settling this dry region until the mid-1870s. In 1876, Patrick Drinan started Annandale Station. Around the same time, Duncan McGregor took over Glengyle. Other stations like Sandringham and Carcory began in 1877, and Dubbo Downs in 1878.
The towns of Birdsville and Bedourie grew in the late 1870s and early 1880s. They provided services for these new cattle stations in the Channel Country.
Understanding the Channel Country
The Diamantina and Georgina rivers, along with Cooper and Eyre creeks, are part of a huge network of waterways in western Queensland. This area is called the Channel Country. It covers a massive 566,000 square kilometers.
These river systems have many waterholes that usually last through the dry season. But after it rains, all the rivers, creeks, and channels connect. They spread out over a vast floodplain like fingers, which is why it's called the Channel Country. Some properties, like Glengyle, are next to the Simpson Desert and have many sand dunes. However, the natural watering from the northern tropical wet season makes the land perfect for raising cattle.
Sidney Kidman's Early Life
Sidney Kidman was born on May 9, 1857, in Athelstone, near Adelaide. His parents were immigrants from England. When he was about 13, he left home. He traveled north to Poolamacca Station where he met his brother, George.
Sidney found work with George Raines, a bushman who moved his animals around. Raines used unfenced lands where there was good grass for his stock. During this time, Kidman learned many bush survival skills. He also learned to value the knowledge of Aboriginal people.
In the early 1870s, Kidman worked on different stations and drove cattle. He also transported goods. He opened a butcher's shop in Cobar and soon started a business with his brother. They bought and sold stock and drove cattle. They also had mail delivery contracts and ran a butcher shop in Broken Hill. In the 1890s, they began buying cattle station leases as "Kidman Brothers."
Building the Kidman Empire
As a young man, Sidney Kidman talked a lot with other cattlemen about the Australian interior. Through his travels, buying and selling stock, he realized how valuable the Channel Country land was. His main goal was to buy a chain of properties. This way, during droughts, cattle could be moved from dry areas to places with good grass.
Kidman eventually owned two main lines of properties. The first, or "main chain," went from the Barkly Tablelands near the Gulf of Carpentaria. It then went through the Channel Country of western Queensland and along the Birdsville Track to the train station at Maree in South Australia. The second chain of stations followed the Overland Telegraph line. It stretched from the Fitzroy River and Victoria River Downs Station in the north to Wilpena Station in the Flinders Ranges near Adelaide. The Kidman empire in Queensland began when Kidman Brothers bought Annandale in the Channel Country in 1896.
Because of his smart business decisions, his knowledge of the land, and his hard work, Kidman's empire survived tough times. This included the economic downturn of the 1890s and the severe drought from 1899 to 1902.
The "Cattle King"
On September 16, 1903, the "Pastoralists' Review" magazine featured an interview with Sidney Kidman, calling him the "Cattle King." The article shared details about his life and listed the properties he owned then. These included:
- In the Northern Territory: Victoria Downs, Newcastle Waters, Austral Downs.
- In South Australia: Lake Albert, Eringa, Peake, Macumba, Mount Nor'-West, Clayton, Coongy, Pandie Pandyie, Alton Downs.
- In Queensland: Annandale, Collegwairi, Dubbo, Cartrey, Rocklands, Monkira, Bulla Downs.
- In New South Wales: Wompah and Tickelara.
Kidman kept buying properties, and buying and selling cattle and horses. He managed his properties while almost always traveling. He stayed updated on market changes, weather, and what was happening on his stations using the telegraph.
Kidman's Generosity and Legacy
Kidman disliked waste and would fire employees who were wasteful. However, he was also known for being very generous to good causes. He gained a reputation for giving a lot to the war effort during World War I. His donations included wool, meat, horses, ambulances, and even warplanes. In money terms, this patriotic giving amounted to hundreds of thousands of pounds. In 1921, he was knighted for his help during the war.
The lease for Glengyle Station changed hands several times after Duncan McGregor first took it in 1876. William Frederick Buchanan bought the Glengyle property by October 1907. After Buchanan passed away in 1911, the lease went to William Buchanan and Charles Henry Buchanan.
The 1008 square mile Glengyle lease became part of the Kidman empire in 1913. He bought the lease from the Buchanans for £1,575. Kidman had wanted Glengyle Station for a long time. He liked its size and its permanent deep waterholes on the Georgina River. He also valued its plains of lignum and saltbush, and its important location next to his Queensland properties. These included Sandringham, Kaliduwarry, Dubbo Downs, and Annandale.
Also, Glengyle, located between Eyre Creek and the sand hills of the Simpson Desert, didn't always need local rain. In good seasons, it gets water from channels fed by the northern monsoon rains. This property was key to Kidman's holdings in the Lake Eyre basin. It is still owned by his family's company, S Kidman and Company.
Kidman got married in 1885 and raised three daughters and one son in Adelaide. He retired in 1927, but his children continued to run the family business. Sir Sidney Kidman passed away in Adelaide on September 2, 1935, at 78 years old. His only son, Walter Sidney Palethorpe (born 1900), took over as the head of the Kidman empire.
Kidman's Tree of Knowledge has been called "one of the state's most famous living monuments to the king." It is important to both local people and visitors. It's a real link to Sir Sidney Kidman, a pioneer who successfully built a huge cattle business in Australia's remote interior. His properties covered about 3.5% of the entire Australian continent!
What the Tree Looks Like
Kidman's Tree of Knowledge is on Glengyle Station. It's on the western bank of Eyre Creek, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of Bedourie.
The tree is in the middle of a grassy area. This area is surrounded by the Glengyle homestead and other station buildings. The tree is healthy and fully grown.
Why the Tree is Important
Kidman's Tree of Knowledge was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992, because it meets several important rules:
Showing Queensland's History
This tree is very important for showing how Queensland's history developed. It has a strong connection to Sir Sidney Kidman. Many people who worked for him, and those who still work for Kidman Holdings, see this tree as a symbol of his legacy.
For local people and visitors, Kidman's Tree of Knowledge is a real connection to Sir Sidney Kidman. He was a pioneer who built a very successful cattle empire in Australia's vast, remote interior in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The tree is important because of its link to this famous Australian cattleman. He used his business smarts, knowledge of the land, and hard work to get a chain of cattle stations across Australia. This allowed him to move his animals to avoid droughts. We don't know for sure if Sir Sidney Kidman actually sat under this coolibah tree near the Glengyle homestead. But the idea, or legend, of his connection to this tree is what makes it so special.
Connection to the Community
The tree has a strong and special connection with the community. For many people who worked for Sir Sidney Kidman, and for those still connected to Kidman Holdings, the tree is important because of its link to him. For local people and visitors, it's a real reminder of Sir Sidney Kidman, a pioneer who created a successful cattle business in the huge, remote parts of Australia.
Association with Important People
The Tree of Knowledge is important because of its connection to Sir Sidney Kidman. He was a famous Australian cattleman who, through smart business, knowing the land, and hard work, bought many cattle stations across Australia. This allowed him to move his cattle to different properties to survive droughts. Whether Sir Sidney Kidman actually sat under this tree is not known. However, the belief or story of Kidman's connection to this tree is what makes it significant.
