Nandi/Kupunn/Broadwater: the background, establishment, rise and decline of one rural community within the Darling Downs area of Queensland

Whilst the fortunes of wealthy squatters and politicians have been traced in detail through official sources, the fate of ‘ordinary’ settlers on the Darling Downs has been somewhat overlooked. The concerns of one small community are addressed here, mainly through the ‘unofficial’ sources of knowledge that were identified by the British historian, Raphael Samuel. These include oral accounts and written memoirs from former residents, placename origins and family and community histories. An analysis of the placenames given by explorers, squatters, surveyors and ordinary settlers during the 19th century sheds new light on the concerns of the first Europeans on the Darling Downs, and provides a background to the study of the Nandi/Kupunn/Broadwater district and its community. The residents themselves describe life during the early days of the 20th century, on both the dominant freehold estate, Loudoun, and on the small selections nearby. Struggles with the environment, and the hardships of two World Wars and the Great Depression are recounted from the viewpoint of the ordinary resident in a close-knit and interdependent farming community. The effects of the post World War II era, which saw extensive land clearing, the fragmentation of the community and the intrusion of agribusiness interests, are also outlined. The personal accounts are enhanced by a collection of photographs from the 1870s through to the present day, and a selection of maps. The memoirs of ordinary people are underpinned by official records and newspaper accounts, and can be set in the established historical framework. The personal experiences of settlers in that one small community help to facilitate a deeper understanding of rural Australia, as it is today, and its development through many generations.