People the North Committee Archive
The People The North Committee (PTNC) of the North Queensland Local Government Association (NQLGA) began activities in 1962 supported financially by the NQLGA, the regional electricity and harbour boards and local industry and commerce. It aimed to focus attention on the north of Australia in order to promote development and settlement, to induce the Federal Government to set up a Northern Development Corporation and to increase the population of northern Australia to a million by 1973. The Committee represented 24 shire and city councils in North Queensland. It attracted considerable publicity and created a general awareness and knowledge of northern Australia. It cooperated in the formation of the National Council for Balanced Development and organised a symposium on North Australian Development at the University of NSW as well as other conferences. The developments which took place during the lifetime of the committee included the creation of a Northern Division within the Department of National Development, and the establishment of the Lavarack Army Base in Townsville. The committee ceased full time activity in 1969.
Archive Location 54R-57L
Series Listing
Addresses, Articles and Papers, 1962 - 1968
Press Clippings Books, 1964 - 1967
Publications from other sources, 1963 - 1968
Detailed Listing
Reports: Annual, progress, and various special reports of the People the North Committee from 1963 to 1969.
PTNC/REP
Accounts: Accounts sent to the Secretary of the People the North Committee.
PTNC/ACC/1: Accounts 29/6/1967 – 5/6/ 1985
PTNC/ACC/2: Accounts 3/6/1968 – 28/1/1969
Correspondence: Letters to and from the People the North Committee concerning information for intending settlers, proposals to industry, approaches to government and parliamentarians, promotions, and arrangements for conferences and visits, with some enclosures. The donor grouped and labelled the correspondence except for a few loose miscellaneous letters.
PTNC/CORR/1 National Council for Balanced Development 12/12/1962 – 29/2/1968
PTNC/CORR/2 Job seekers 21/12/1962 – 14/12/1964
PTNC/CORR/3 Job seekers 18/1/1965 – 31/12/1965
PTNC/CORR/4 PTNC Chairman 20/2/63 – 11/10/65
PTNC/CORR/5 Information seekers 30/9/1964 – 1/12/1965
PTNC/CORR/6 Information seekers 13/1/1966 – 12/12/1966
PTNC/CORR/7 Promotion letters – industry and primary products 12/9/1967 – 2/5/1968
PTNC/CORR/8 Daily file 18/9/1967 – 17/5/1968
PTNC/CORR/9 People the North 27/10/1967 - 28/5/1968
PTNC/CORR/10 People the North 27/2/1968 – 18/12/1968
PTNC/CORR/11 Seminar on the education and training of journalists 22/4/1968 – 8/7/1968
PTNC/CORR/12 Investors’ Tour by American businessmen 27/5/1968 – 24/1/1969
PTNC/CORR/13 Commonwealth Government Members Food and Agriculture Committee 27/6/1968 – 23/10/1968
PTNC/CORR/14 Visit to Southern States 9/10/1968 – 22/11/1968
PTNC/CORR/15 Premier’s North Queensland Visit 11-22/10/1968
PTNC/CORR/16 Miscellaneous
Publications: Material published by the People the North Committee
PTNC/PUB/1 People the North! Single printed sheet, no date.
PTNC/PUB/2 People the North! Folded printed sheet, no date.
PTNC/PUB/3 A Plan for North People the North Committee, pamphlet [1966].
PRNC/PUB/4 Operation Elbow Room. Larry Foley, People the North Committee. Printed by G. ,K. Bolton, Cairns
PTNC/PUB/5 Symposium: North Australian Development Programme, one folded sheet [1966].
PTNC/PUB/6 – 12 Seven separate sheets of newsprint, both sides reproducing items and articles related to the North and its development from Australian newspapers and journals. No publication date, although individual items usually show date of first publication.
PTNC/PUB/13 What the Press is Saying, People the North Committee. Five pages numbered 1 – 10, no publication date.
PTNC/PUB/14 – 20 What the Press is Saying. People the North Committee. Seven booklets identified as Series 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13.
PTNC/PUB/21 People the North Committee. Folder containing
· A Plan for the North (identical with PTNC/PUB/3).
· A Fantasy: Is the South Worth Developing ? Larry Foley. (Reprint of item from PTNC/PUB/18).
· Two issues of What the Press is Saying (Identical with PTNC/PUB/19 and 20).
· News Officer’s Progress Report no.10 (another copy of report in PTNC/REP)
PTNC/PUB/22 North Australia Development. Proceedings of Symposium held at the University of NSW, Kensington, Sydney, 14 – 15 February 1966. People of the North Committee in conjunction with the University of NSW.
Submissions: Submissions, proposals, statements and reports emanating from the PTNC as well as published texts of letters to and from public figures.
PTNC/SUB/1 Deputations to the Premier of Queensland, 1 April, 1963.
PTNC/SUB/2 Views on a Northern Development Authority as presented to the Governments of Queensland and Western Australia on 8 July 1963 and to the Prime Minister through the National Council for Balanced Development deputation Parliament House, Canberra, 8 October 1963.
PTNC/SUB/3 Submission to the Queensland-Western Australia talks of A Northern Development Authority, 8 July 1963.
PTNC/SUB/4 Submission to the Rt Hon the Prime Minister by a Delegation from the National Council for Balanced Development at Parliament House, Canberra, 8 October 1963.
PTNC/SUB/5 A Research Centre in Tropical Marine Science at Townsville. A statement prepared for distribution to members of the party accompanying Mr David Fairbairn on a visit to Townsville and Lodestone and John Brewer Reefs, 9 June 1968.
PTNC/SUB/6 A Research Centre in Tropical Marine Science at Townsville. Revised 22 July 1968.
PTNC/SUB/7 Submission made to the Government Food and Agriculture Committee at Townsville on 25 July 1968 by Councillor Dudley Wood, Chairman of the People the North Committee.
PTNC/SUB/8 Commercial and Industrial Trends in Townsville 1968-1990. No further details. This was grouped with submissions when the papers arrived, and appears likely to have accompanied a submission.
PTNC/SUB/9 Submission made to the Senate Select Committee on off-shore petroleum resources, in Townsville on 14 February 1969 by the People the North Committee.
PTNC/SUB/10 The University College of Townsville. Proposal to establish a Graduate School of Tropical Veterinary Science at Townsville.
PRNC/SUB/11 Proposed iron and steel industry at Bowen. Report accompanied by a map.
PTNC/SUB/12 Letter to Rt Hon the Premier of Queensland about proposal to establish a steelworks at Bowen 8/2/1968.
PTNC/SUB/13 Draft letter to Prime Minister of Australia, Rt Hon. John Gorton [probably early 1968].
PTNC/SUB/14 Letter from Chairman of the People the North Committee, Councillor Dudley Wood, to Minister for Civil Aviation, Hon. R W .C Swartz, 27/2/1968.
PTNC/SUB/15 Letter from State Electricity Commissioner for Queensland, Neil Smith, to Maurice Stitt, PTNC Promotion Officer.
PTNC/SUB/16 Letter from Councillor Dudley Wood to Prime Minister, Rt Hon John Gorton, 4/9/1968.
PTNC/SUB/17 Letter from Minister for Primary Industries, Hon J D Anthony, to Maurice Stitt, 14/10/1968.
PTNC/SUB/18 Reconnaissance Geology of the Big Rocks
Dam site. Eric Heidecker. Report with photographs and two maps.
Press Releases: Press Releases of the People the North Committee (not complete) with indexes.
PTNC/PR Press Releases 20/3/1963 – 6/5/1969.
Addresses, articles and papers: The members of the People the North Committee gave many papers, and acquired copies of others from various sources, dealing with northern development, decentralization, primary industries, water conservation, and so on.
PTNC/AD/1 Borzi, Mick. Opening address, First Conference of North Queensland District Development Bureau, Townsville, 19 – 20 January 1968.
PTNC/AD/2 Bowen, Ian. “Economic and social factors in balanced growth”. Paper prepared for Conference on Balanced Development, Wagga Wagga 13 – 16 November 1962.
PTNC/AD/3 Calwell, Arthur A. “The Need for a National Policy so that Australia will be fully occupied by Australians”.
PTNC/AD/4 Campbell, F A, Address to First Conference of North Queensland District Development Bureau, Townsville, 19 – 20 January 1968.
PTNC/AD/5 Copland, Sir Douglas. “Need for a National Policy”. Conference of National Council for Balanced Development.
PTNC/AD/6 Copland, Sir Douglas. “The challenge of balanced development for Australia”. Second conference of National Council for Balanced Development, Wagga Wagga.
PTNC/AD/7 Court, C W M, “Balanced development is a national priority”.
PTNC/AD/8 Driver, A R, “The Special Problems of North Australia”. Conference of the National Council for Balanced Development.
PTNC/AD/9 Duncan, Craig. “Regional planning and primary production”. Mackay District Development Bureau Symposium.
PTNC/AD/10 Edwards, H R, “National Planning and Balanced Development”. Conference on Balanced Development, Armidale, 12 August 1964.
PTNC/AD/11 Ellis, Ulrich. “Self-Government as a Spur to North Australian Development”. Address to the North Australia Society, University of Sydney, 22 July 1966.
PTNC/AD/12 Foley, Larry. Address to the 30th Annual Convention of the Association of Apex Clubs, Canberra, 27 March 1964.
PTNC/AD/13 Fordyce, J, “The Sugar Industry,” Mackay District Development Bureau.
PTNC/AD/14 Gottlieb, S, “Industrial Development in Country Areas”.
PTNC/AD/15 Greenwood, R H, “Factors favourable to growth and their priorities”. Australian Institute of Management Conference, “Management in the development of North Queensland”, Townsville, May 1961.
PRNC/AD/16 Haigh, F B, “Water Resources Development in North Queensland.
PTNC/AD/17 Haigh, F G, “Harnessing the Waters of the Burdekin River system”. Australian Sugar Journal, December 1967, pp. 525-526, 529.
PTNC/AD/18 Hasluck, Paul, “Australia’s Northern Development”. Statement based on a speech to the House of Representatives, 22 August 1963. Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.
PTNC/AD/19 Hennessy, E, “Some Factors in Balanced Development”. Albury, 12 November 1962.
PTNC/AD/20 Hopkins, H H, “The Problems of Maintaining Growth in the Northern Areas”.
PTNC/AD/21 Hopkins, H H, “People the North”. Address delivered at the National Council for Balanced Development Conference, Wagga Wagga, 13 – 16 November, 1962.
PTNC/AD/22 Hopkins, H H, “The Need to Develop the North”. Address to the 30th Annual Convention of Apex Clubs, Canberra, Easter, 1964.
PTNC/AD/23 Hudson, Sir William, “The Relationship between Government and Private Enterprise in Achieving Development”. Address to the National Conference on Balanced Development, Wagga Wagga, 14 November 1962.
PTNC/AD/24 Hudson, Sir William, “The Role of Water Resources in the Development of Northern Australia”. Address to University of Sydney Standing Committee of Convocation. Meeting of Graduates - Friday 28 August 1964.
PTNC/AD/25 Hudson, Sir William, Luncheon Address to the National
Council for Balanced Development, Melbourne, 15 July 1965.
PTNC/AD/26 Hughes, B, “The Beef Cattle Industry and its Importance to the Mackay district”. Mackay District Development Bureau Symposium.
PTNC/AD/27 Hutchinson, A R, “Essentials of a National Policy on Balanced Development,” First Conference on Balanced Development, Wagga Wagga.
PTNC/AD/28 Jenvey, R, “Small Crops in Mackay and District”. Mackay District Development Bureau Symposium.
PTNC/AD/29 Lawrence, G V [“Murray Valley Development League”]
PTNC/AD/30 Ledgar, F W, “The Absurdity of the Modern City”.
PTNC/AD/31 McDonald, Warren, Address to the Conference of the National Council for Balanced Development, Wagga Wagga, 15 November 1962.
PTNC/AD/32 Merrylees, W A, “Universities as the Basis of Balanced Development”. Conference of the National Council for Balanced Development, Wagga Wagga.
PTNC/AD/33 Molhuysen, P C, “Industrial Development of NSW Statistical Divisions 1923 – 1960”. December 1963.
PTNC/AD/34 Munro, C H, “The Future of North Queensland”.
PTNC/AD/35 Munro, C H, “Harnessing the Water Resources of Northern Australia”. Symposium on Northern Australia, University of NSW 14-15/2/1966.
PTNC/AD/36 Nimmo, W H R, “Results of Investigation of Bradfield’s Water Irrigation Plan”. Abstract of Report. The Commonwealth Engineer, 2 June 1947, pp446 – 451.
PTNC/AD/37 Patterson, Rex A, “Some Aspects of Northern Development”. Mackay District Development Bureau Symposium..
PTNC/AD/38 Patterson, Rex A, “Can Defence Development Assist in the Development of Northern Australia ?" Address to the People the North Committee, Townsville, 18 October, 1964.
PTNC/AD/39 Spooner, Sir William, “Speech on Governor – General’s Speech”. 17 March 1964. Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.
PTNC/AD/40 Tripcony, T G, “Problems and Opportunities in Northern Australia”.
PTNC/AD/41 Vandersee, H E, “Grain Growing in the Mackay Hinterland”. Mackay District Development Bureau Symposium.
PTNC/AD/42 Walkley, W G, “Northern Development”. Address to Australian Institute of Management, Hotel Australia, Melbourne, 18 October 1965.
PTNC/AD/43 Ward, R C, “The constructive Contribution of Northern Development to our External Relations”.
PTNC/AD/44 Wood, B D, “The Dairy Industry Mackay Region”. Mackay District Development Bureau Symposium.
PTNC/AD/45 Wright, P A, “Decentralisation”. Symposium of Federated Chambers of Commerce of North Queensland, Ingham, 11 June 1966.
PTNC/AD/46 National Council for Balanced Development, Fifth National Conference. Folder of papers fastened together, with one inclusion, in the following order:
- Clarke, R G, Motion (1 leaf, inclusion)
- Edwards, J K, “The challenge to ports and harbours by the development
explosion”.
- Von Bibra, D D, “The challenge to the fine wool industry”.
- Callinan B J, “Private Enterprise and the development explosion”.
- Turnbull, R J David, “Government responsibility in the development
explosion”.
- Pfohl, J L, “The challenge of oil and natural gas”.
- Atkins, A C, “The Challenge to the Tourist Industry”.
- Copland, Douglas, “N.C.B.D. – Launceston Conference”, letter to Mr A R Driver.
PTNC/AD/47 [No name given] “The demographic prospect”. Balanced Development Conference, Wagga Wagga, 14 November 1962.
Press Clippings Books: Twenty-seven books and five folders contain press clippings related to northern development and other northern matters, from 1964 to 1969.
PTNC/PCB/1 Press clippings 16 – 30 November 1964.
PTNC/PCB/2 Press clippings 1 – 15 December 1964
PTNC/PCB/3 Press clippings 16 – 31 December 1964
PTNC/PCB/4 Press clippings 1 – 15 January 1965.
PTNC/PCB/5 Press clippings 16 – 31 January 1965.
PTNC/PCB/6 Press clippings 1 – 9 February 1965.
PTNC/PCB/7 Press clippings 10 – 18 February 1965.
PTNC/PCB/8 Press clippings 19 – 28 February 1965.
PTNC/PCB/9 Press clippings 1 – 16 March 1965.
PTNC/PCB/10 Press clippings 17 – 31 March 1965.
PTNC/PCB/11 Press clippings 1 – 16 April 1965.
PTNC/PCB/12 Press clippings 17 – 31 April 1965.
PTNC/PCB/13 Press clippings 1 – 15 May 1965.
PTNC/PCB/14 Press clippings 16 – 31 May 1965.
PTNC/PCB/15 Press clippings 1 – 15 June 1965.
PTNC/PCB/16 Press clippings 16 – 30 June 1965.
PTNC/PCB/17 Press clippings 1 – 16 July 1965.
PTNC/PCB/18 Press clippings 17 – 31 July 1965.
PTNC/PCB/19 Press clippings 1 – 15 August 1965.
PTNC/PCB/20 Press clippings 1 – 16 September 1965.
PTNC/PCB/21 Press clippings 16 – 31 August 1965.
PTNC/PCB/22 Press clippings 16 – 30 September 1965.
PTNC/PCB/23 Press clippings 1 – 15 October 1965.
PTNC/PCB/24 Press clippings 16 – 31 October 1965.
PTNC/PCB/25 Press clippings 1 – 15 October 1965.
PTNC/PCB/26 Press clippings 16 – 30 November 1965.
PTNC/PCB/27 Press clippings 29 November 1965.
PTNC/PCB/29 Folder of loose press clippings 1967.
PTNC/PCB/30 Folder of loose press clippings 1967.
Publications from other sources:
Periodical and monograph publications related to the north and its development;
of these, three periodicals and four monographs have been catalogued to
the [Delamothe] North Queensland Collection.
PTNC/POS/1 Bowen: Port of Opportunity: Gem of the Coral Coast. Bowen Harbour Board Annual Report and Brochure, 1964 – 1965.
PTNC/POS/2 Cairns Regional Development Bureau 2nd Annual Report. For year ended 31 December 1968.
Cairns Regional Electricity Board Annual Reports for 1962 – 1963; 1963 – 1964; 1964 – 1965, catalogued to the [Delamothe] North Queensland Collection.
PTNC/POS/3 Decentralization and Local Government. Proceedings of Conference held in Adult Education Centre, Tamworth, July 5, 6, 7, 1963.
PTNC/POS/4 The Challenge of the Future: Far East Air Traffic Forecast. Boeing Presentation to the PATA Travel Research Seminar, December 1967.
PTNC/POS/5 The Impetus of Australia’s Development, Harold Raggatt. Address to the Fourth Sales Convention of Ampol Petroleum, NSW, February 10, 1964. Pamphlet.
PTNC/POS/6 National Council for Balanced Development: Fifth National Conference. Folder of Conference papers including Constitution for the National Council for Balanced Development.
PTNC/POS/7 Report of the Committee of Investigation into Transportation Costs in Northern Australia, Commonwealth of Australian, Canberra, ACT, September 1965.
PTNC/POS/8 Richmond Shallow Storage Research Project. Programme for Field Day, 5 September 1968.
PTNC/POS/9 Tinaroo Falls Dam Queensland Irrigation and Water Supply Commission. Folded sheet.
PTNC/POS/10 Townsville: Commercial and Industrial Centre of North Queensland
Irrigation North Queensland: The Mareeba-Dimbulah Irrigation Story; The Herbert River Irrigation Potential; Irrigation in the Collinsville (Bowen/Broken River) Area; the Burdekin Irrigation Project-Present Situation, July 1962. Queensland Irrigation and Water Supply Commission. Catalogued to [ Delamothe] North Queensland Collection.
Report on Groundwater Investigation Haughton River Queensland Irrigation and Water Supply Commission. 1967. Catalogued to [Delamothe] North Queensland Collection.
The Ports of Queensland and their Services Department of Harbours and Marine, Brisbane, August 1963. Catalogued to [Delamothe] North Queensland Collection.
Preliminary Report on Water Resources Development, Herbert River, December 1961. Queensland Irrigation and Water Supply Commission. Catalogued to [Delamothe] North Queensland Collection.
Miscellaneous:
Miscellaneous roneoed sheets and papers.
PTNC/MISC/1 Questionnaire for North Queensland Review.
People the North Committee, 25 pages.
PTNC/MISC/2 Reading List. People the North Committee,
4 pages.
PTNC/MISC/3 Transcript of ATN Channel 7 “Seven Days” programme on People the North Committee. People the North Committee, 11 pages.
PTNC/MISC/4 Agenda: First Conference of North Queensland District Development Bureau. 1 sheet.
PTNC/MISC/5 “The challenge of education: demands of youth and technology.” Summary of address by Sir Douglas Copeland on the occasion of receiving the degree Doctor of Laws Honoris, Causa, at the University of Melbourne, 14 December 1963.
PTNC/MISC/6 Draft New State Referendum Bill Notes and Comments. New State Movement, 4 pages.