Free Land, Forced Labour, and the Making of the Midlands
When Europeans first settled what is now Campbell Town, land was not purchased in the way we understand today. Instead, the British Crown granted land free of charge to selected settlers as part of a broader strategy to secure and develop the colony of Van Diemen’s Land.
Campbell Town was formally established in 1821 by Lachlan Macquarie, who recognised the importance of the fertile plains along the Elizabeth River. Its position midway between Hobart and Launceston made it a vital stopping point and agricultural hub.
Who Received the Land?
Land grants in the Campbell Town district were typically awarded to:
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Military officers and government officials
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Free settlers with capital, livestock, or farming experience
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Some emancipated convicts, usually in much smaller allotments
Grants ranged from modest farm blocks to vast pastoral holdings stretching across the Midlands.
Convict Labour: The Real Currency
Alongside free land, many settlers were assigned convict labour, supplied by the colonial government. These men and women:
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Cleared land and built fences
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Constructed homes, barns, and outbuildings
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Farmed crops and tended livestock
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Built roads, bridges, and public buildings
Settlers did not pay wages. Instead, they were required to house, clothe, feed, and control the convicts. For many landholders, convict labour was more valuable than the land itself and essential to success in this harsh environment.
Much of Campbell Town’s early infrastructure — including farms, bridges, churches, and roads — was created through this system of forced labour.
Conditions and Control
Land grants were not unconditional. Recipients were expected to:
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Live on and improve the land
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Clear and cultivate a specified area
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Maintain order among assigned convicts
Failure to meet these requirements could result in the land being reclaimed by the Crown.
From Free Grants to Land Sales
By the late 1820s, free land grants were gradually phased out. Land was increasingly sold rather than gifted, favouring wealthier settlers and cementing the dominance of large estates across the Midlands. This marked a significant shift in the social and economic structure of the region.
The Unspoken Cost
These grants were issued on land already occupied for thousands of years by Aboriginal Tasmanians. They were:
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Not consulted
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Not compensated
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Forcibly dispossessed
The land grant system played a central role in the displacement, violence, and profound loss experienced by Tasmania’s First Peoples.
In Summary
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Early land around Campbell Town was free, not purchased
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Convict labour was routinely assigned to settlers
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The system shaped the farms, towns, and roads we see today
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The legacy is complex — foundational to settlement, and devastating in its human cost