This cache is dedicated to one part of Australian military history specially remembered at the memorial wall in Queen St, about 350 metres away.
The end of hostilities in 1918 did not mean an automatic return to the settled life many knew in the pre-war years. The rehabilitation of returned servicemen posed enormous problems. Many returned with the strong hope of settling on the land. An attempt to facilitate this was the Soldiers’ Settlement scheme. It was financed by the Commonwealth and controlled by the States, whose responsibility it was to obtain the necessary land. The settlers also received money for needed farm equipment. These provisions were not by way of grant, however. The costs incurred by the state and commonwealth governments were to be payed back ... PLUS the purchase price of the land, PLUS interest. At Campbelltown, a dairy farming estate known as "Cransley", was purchased by the government, and subdivided into 36 poultry farms and two administration blocks. The principal thoroughfare was appropriately named Waminda Avenue ... ‘Waminda' meaning ‘Comrade’. With soldiers and their families beginning to move into their farms in approximately June 1919, their experience of the early years was a very difficult one, almost without exception. The Depression years saw many farmers being forced to surrender their holdings, or to take up other jobs and run their farms as a sideline. A few were successful despite the odds, and in fact continued to flourish as poultry farms up until the land was released for residential development in 1959. In 1960, the Campbelltown Ingleburn News headlined "The end of an era", with the closing down of the last poultry farm in the soldiers’ settlement.
Whatever their pre-war origins and experience, these Soldier Settlers formed a community that bonded as a result of their shared Army experience during the war, and then as small-hold farmers in the larger Campbelltown community post-war, and that unique community is specially remembered at this memorial, as well as through this cache.
Information from "The Campbelltown City Library - Local Information Blog"
This park is adjacent to Campbelltown Mall. Refreshments and toilets available. Fast food close by. Safest entry via Queen St
You can't keep a keen cacher down. FTF congrats again to Jaybeem.