Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve
Encyclopedia
The Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve is a wetland area approximately 70 km (43.5 mi) east of Darwin
in the Northern Territory
of Australia
.
It lies within the Adelaide and Mary River Floodplains
, which is an Important Bird Area
. It attracts a wide range of local and migratory water birds and other wildlife including one of the largest populations of snakes within Australia (including the venomous Mulga Snake
and Death Adder
), and includes a raised observation platform. Saltwater Crocodile
s move into the Fogg Dam area during the wet season
when the reserve is inaccessible by people, although by the time the dry season
arrives usually only a few crocodiles remain in the wetlands, as they prefer the rivers and billabong
s.History of Fogg Dam
THE HUMPTY DOO RICE TRAIL
To read the fascinating story about the Humpty Doo Rice Project click on the PDF logo below.
If you were involved in any way with the Humpty Doo Rice Project, we’d love to hear from you.
Friends of Fogg Dam thank the NT Government for the grant which funded writing of the attached booklet.
“The Northern Territory Government through the Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and
Sport is pleased to sponsor Friends of Fogg Dam Inc. This publication may not represent the views of the Northern
Territory Government”
To access:Fogg Dam and associated areas. Background Historical Information prepared by the Heritage Branch,
December 2009, go to:
www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/heritageregister/f?p=103:302:2248521578218242::NO::P302_SITE_ID:397
A beautiful area, important for Indigenous people and a haven for wildlife.The Humpty Doo Rice Project
When Fogg Dam was built in 1956, the population of Darwin, the Northern Territory capital, was approximately 10,000.[1]
Fogg Dam is located in the western part of the Adelaide River floodplain in an area of great significance to the local
Limilngan-Wulna Aboriginal people.
Fogg Dam was the focus of national interest in the 1950s through development of the historic Humpty Doo Rice Project. If
successful, the project would have been one of the largest farming developments in the world and a granary for Asia. It
was supported by wealthy American investors associated with the Hollywood entertainment industry. The location in a
remote part of the Territory created images of taming a frontier and the name, Humpty Doo, was unusual and easy to
remember.[2] The bombing of Darwin in 1942-43 had highlighted the vulnerability of the continent’s north so the
Australian Government was keen promote its development and increase the population to improve security. Fogg Dam
was a key part of the Humpty Doo Rice project.
In 1956 the NT Legislative Council unanimously approved an agreement between the Australian Government and an
American/Australian Company Territory Rice Ltd. (TRL), giving sole concessions for 15 years and an option to lease over
300,000 ha (750,000 acres) of subcoastal plains for growing rice. The development plan required 12,000ha to be
developed in five years, 40,000ha in ten years and 100,000ha in 15 years. The company would then have the right to
select 200,000ha for agricultural development leases with at least half to be subdivided and sold to individual farmers or
worked on a share-farming arrangement. The Australian Government provided considerable assistance including
technical expertise. American interests provided the bulk of the capital and expert advice on tropical agriculture and
engineering.[3]
The Chairman of Directors was Allen Chase. Entrepreneur and American TV personality, Art Linkletter, was one of the
Directors.[4] The project was supported with advice from the CSIRO Kimberley Research Station based at Kununurra.
TRL had a camp for its workers near where Middle Point village now exists. It was known then as Humpty Doo and 100
workers lived there. They had a Sports and Social Club as well as a Humpty Doo Soccer team that competed with
Darwin teams.[5]
Fogg dam was built in 1956 by the RAAF Construction Squadron, under contract to TRL, to provide fresh water for the
young rice crop. It cost $100,000[6] and filled in the first wet season, February 1957.[7] At the time it was built it had a
water holding capacity of 3,400 megalitres.[8] A spillway was built at each end of the wall. These were inadequate so an
‘emergency opening’ in the dam wall was made to allow water to escape when the dam was at risk of
overflowing.[9] In 1962-63 a steel pipe with a wooden check board gate was installed through the dam wall to control the
water flow.[10]
Fogg Dam was too small to provide all the project’s needs so Harrison Dam, which had a capacity three times
greater than Fogg Dam, was built nearby in 1958 by Thiess Brothers for $80,000. It’s purpose was to store fresh
water pumped late in the wet season from the Adelaide River after rice irrigation was completed. When full, Harrison
Friends of Fogg Dam
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Dam held 10,000 megalitres of water.[11] A bulk bin for the rice was installed at Harrison Dam at the end of Wood Lane,
the access from Anzac Parade. During construction of Harrison Dam, Thiess Brothers had a camp at the end of
Thomsen Road.
Small farms were to be developed with competent farmers managing them. It was proposed that after three years as an
employee of TRL and two years of share farming, a government lease for each farm could be arranged.[12]
TRL implemented several redesign phases but ultimately closed in August 1960 with debts to local businesses.
The project failed for a number of reasons[13]
- Location The distance and difficulty of transport to southern Australia was a problem. There was no direct rail
connection. There was a railway from Darwin to Larrimah and from Alice Springs to Adelaide but there was a gap of
1,000km between the two. Road transport was cut each year during the wet season. Shipping was the most suitable but
also had difficulties.
- Technology. Poor water control. Adequate water could not be provided when it was needed and control of excess
water was just as difficult. Water pumped from the Adelaide River was brackish unless flooded in the wet season.
Problems with water delayed harvesting and this reduced production and quality. Also, the varieties of rice selected were
not the most suitable.
- Finance. Insufficient funds plagued the project and budgets were often cut.
- Philosophy. The philosophy of management was that maximum profits would be obtained if initial farm development
costs were kept to a minimum. This resulted in insufficient funds being available for successful cropping so the real
potential of production was not achieved or tested so the proposed small farms were not taken up.
- Management. Management was not centralised and responsibilities were spread between Humpty Doo, Brisbane,
Sydney and Los Angeles. This, combined with the simple communication technology of the time made effective
management of this complex project difficult.
- Magpie geese are commonly blamed for the failure of the project. While they were a problem, eating seedlings and
grain as well as trampling on plants, they were not the cause of the failure.
Creditors took over all TRL’s assets and a new company was formed, Adelaide River Pty Ltd (ARPL) It could not
subdivide because it had no liquidity. ARPL allowed four farmers to use the assets at no cost if they repaired and
maintained the equipment.[14] This arrangement was authorized for one year at a time with the land lease and the
provision of additional capital equipment and profit or loss the responsibility of the farmers. Don Buck, Arthur Parker, Bob
Parker and Ted Kilpatrick took up this proposal.[15] As equal Directors, they formed Rice Development Ltd., with each
responsible for their individual farm.
In 1961 rice was loaded onto a ship from a floating wharf on the Adelaide River. “It looked peculiar to see a cargo
ship sailing apparently through the rice bays, at high tide.”[16]
The four farmers improved rice production with different rice varieties. However, they ran out of capital and as they did
not wish to apply for another bank loan, closed down in 1964. Later, another farmer grew several good rice crops in the
Upper Adelaide River area but discontinued because cattle were more economic.[17]
Fogg Dam was made a Bird Protection District in 1959 because of the vast number and variety of birds in the area.[18]
Fogg Dam was declared a Heritage site in May 2009.
Modifications were made to the dam by the Conservation Commission in about 1993 to improve visitor experience.
Works included creation of two islands, widening of part of the wall, construction of viewing platforms and creation of two
forest walks. Interesting historical information
Fogg Dam was named after Mr James D Fogg, Managing Director of Utah Australia Ltd., a partner of Territory Rice
Ltd.[19] Entrepreneur, Art Linklater, was on the Board of TRL. Harrison Dam was named after RAAF Squadron Leader
Arthur Mander Harrison who was responsible for establishing airfields and facilities in the Northern Territory, including
Fogg Dam.
Friends of Fogg Dam
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The name Humpty Doo and it’s changing location[20]
The name Humpty Doo was the Aboriginal name for the area covering Humpty Doo Station, the TRL and Thiess camps,
Fogg Dam and Harrison Dam. When Charles Herbert, an early Administrator of the Northern Territory, took possession
of two adjacent stations he used the Aboriginal names of Humpty Doo and Koolpinyah for the respective properties.
- From 1954 to 1964 the Territory Rice Ltd camp was known as Humpty Doo. When the school was built in 1964 the
TRL camp was given the name Middle Point.
- In 1972 the Skewes built a pub on the Arnhem Highway and called it the Humpty Doo Hotel.
After cyclone Tracy the population in the rural area increased and the population centre close to the Stuart Highway
became known as Humpty Doo town.
‘Middle Point’ was the middle point of the rice project and the river pump.[21]
Anzac Parade was built by the RAAF Construction Squadron under contract to TRL.[22] It was named Anzac Parade
because clearing for the road began on Anzac Day 1956.[23]
The road into Fogg Dam from Anzac Parade is Harrison Road.[24]
Beatrice Hill was named after the survey ship Beatrice which sailed along the Adelaide River. In 1886 Ellengowan, a
steamship, took cargo 96km up the Adelaide River to Beatrice Hill.[25]
[1] NT statistics, Darwin population 1954,1961, Commonwealth Government.
[2] Wayne S Mollah. Humpty Doo Rice in the Northern Territory, ANU North Aust. Unit Monograph, 1982, pxi
[3] Edward Irwin Kilpatrick. Commercial Rice at Humpty Doo 1954-1964. EI Kilpatrick, Darwin, NT, 1998, p29,30,37
[4] Op.cit. p30
[5] Op.cit. p15,18.
[6] Op.cit. p24.
[7] Op.cit. p58.
[8] Op cit. p24
[9] Op.cit. p25
[10 Op.cit. p183
[11 Op.cit. p48,58.
[12 Op.cit. p5
[13] Wayne Mollah. Humpty Doo Rice in the Northern Territory, ANU North Aust. Unit Monograph, Darwin, 1982, p17-24.
[14] Edward Irwin Kilpatrick. Commercial Rice at Humpty Doo 1954-1964. EI Kilpatrick, Darwin, 1998, p151,152
[15] Op.cit. p153
[16] Op.cit. p174,175
[17] Op.cit. p196
[18] Richard Freeman. “Conserving Top End Wetlands for Tourism,” in Moffatt I and Webb A, editors.
Conservation and Development Issues in Northern Australia. North Aust. Research Unit, NARU, Darwin 1992, p83.
[19] Op.cit. p83
[20] Kilpatrick, op.cit. p15
[21] Op.cit. p7
[22] Op.cit. p7
[23] Op.cit. p18
[24] Op.cit. p15
[25] Op.cit. p16
Friends of Fogg Dam
http://www.foggdamfriends.org
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Adelaide and Mary River Floodplains
The Adelaide and Mary River Floodplains is a 2687 km2 region comprising the adjoining floodplains of the Adelaide and Mary Rivers of the Top End of Australia’s Northern Territory...
, which is an Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
. It attracts a wide range of local and migratory water birds and other wildlife including one of the largest populations of snakes within Australia (including the venomous Mulga Snake
Pseudechis australis
Pseudechis australis, the common King Brown, Mulga snake or Pilbara cobra, is a species of venomous snake found in Australia. It is one of the longest venomous snakes in the world and the second longest in Australia...
and Death Adder
Acanthophis
Acanthophis is a genus of elapid snakes. Commonly called death adders, they are native to Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands, and are among the most venomous snakes in the world...
), and includes a raised observation platform. Saltwater Crocodile
Saltwater Crocodile
The saltwater crocodile, also known as estuarine or Indo-Pacific crocodile, is the largest of all living reptiles...
s move into the Fogg Dam area during the wet season
Wet season
The the wet season, or rainy season, is the time of year, covering one or more months, when most of the average annual rainfall in a region occurs. The term green season is also sometimes used as a euphemism by tourist authorities. Areas with wet seasons are dispersed across portions of the...
when the reserve is inaccessible by people, although by the time the dry season
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
arrives usually only a few crocodiles remain in the wetlands, as they prefer the rivers and billabong
Billabong
Billabong is an Australian English word meaning a small lake, specifically an oxbow lake, a section of still water adjacent to a river, cut off by a change in the watercourse. Billabongs are usually formed when the path of a creek or river changes, leaving the former branch with a dead end...
s.History of Fogg Dam
THE HUMPTY DOO RICE TRAIL
To read the fascinating story about the Humpty Doo Rice Project click on the PDF logo below.
If you were involved in any way with the Humpty Doo Rice Project, we’d love to hear from you.
Friends of Fogg Dam thank the NT Government for the grant which funded writing of the attached booklet.
“The Northern Territory Government through the Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and
Sport is pleased to sponsor Friends of Fogg Dam Inc. This publication may not represent the views of the Northern
Territory Government”
To access:Fogg Dam and associated areas. Background Historical Information prepared by the Heritage Branch,
December 2009, go to:
www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/heritageregister/f?p=103:302:2248521578218242::NO::P302_SITE_ID:397
A beautiful area, important for Indigenous people and a haven for wildlife.The Humpty Doo Rice Project
When Fogg Dam was built in 1956, the population of Darwin, the Northern Territory capital, was approximately 10,000.[1]
Fogg Dam is located in the western part of the Adelaide River floodplain in an area of great significance to the local
Limilngan-Wulna Aboriginal people.
Fogg Dam was the focus of national interest in the 1950s through development of the historic Humpty Doo Rice Project. If
successful, the project would have been one of the largest farming developments in the world and a granary for Asia. It
was supported by wealthy American investors associated with the Hollywood entertainment industry. The location in a
remote part of the Territory created images of taming a frontier and the name, Humpty Doo, was unusual and easy to
remember.[2] The bombing of Darwin in 1942-43 had highlighted the vulnerability of the continent’s north so the
Australian Government was keen promote its development and increase the population to improve security. Fogg Dam
was a key part of the Humpty Doo Rice project.
In 1956 the NT Legislative Council unanimously approved an agreement between the Australian Government and an
American/Australian Company Territory Rice Ltd. (TRL), giving sole concessions for 15 years and an option to lease over
300,000 ha (750,000 acres) of subcoastal plains for growing rice. The development plan required 12,000ha to be
developed in five years, 40,000ha in ten years and 100,000ha in 15 years. The company would then have the right to
select 200,000ha for agricultural development leases with at least half to be subdivided and sold to individual farmers or
worked on a share-farming arrangement. The Australian Government provided considerable assistance including
technical expertise. American interests provided the bulk of the capital and expert advice on tropical agriculture and
engineering.[3]
The Chairman of Directors was Allen Chase. Entrepreneur and American TV personality, Art Linkletter, was one of the
Directors.[4] The project was supported with advice from the CSIRO Kimberley Research Station based at Kununurra.
TRL had a camp for its workers near where Middle Point village now exists. It was known then as Humpty Doo and 100
workers lived there. They had a Sports and Social Club as well as a Humpty Doo Soccer team that competed with
Darwin teams.[5]
Fogg dam was built in 1956 by the RAAF Construction Squadron, under contract to TRL, to provide fresh water for the
young rice crop. It cost $100,000[6] and filled in the first wet season, February 1957.[7] At the time it was built it had a
water holding capacity of 3,400 megalitres.[8] A spillway was built at each end of the wall. These were inadequate so an
‘emergency opening’ in the dam wall was made to allow water to escape when the dam was at risk of
overflowing.[9] In 1962-63 a steel pipe with a wooden check board gate was installed through the dam wall to control the
water flow.[10]
Fogg Dam was too small to provide all the project’s needs so Harrison Dam, which had a capacity three times
greater than Fogg Dam, was built nearby in 1958 by Thiess Brothers for $80,000. It’s purpose was to store fresh
water pumped late in the wet season from the Adelaide River after rice irrigation was completed. When full, Harrison
Friends of Fogg Dam
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Dam held 10,000 megalitres of water.[11] A bulk bin for the rice was installed at Harrison Dam at the end of Wood Lane,
the access from Anzac Parade. During construction of Harrison Dam, Thiess Brothers had a camp at the end of
Thomsen Road.
Small farms were to be developed with competent farmers managing them. It was proposed that after three years as an
employee of TRL and two years of share farming, a government lease for each farm could be arranged.[12]
TRL implemented several redesign phases but ultimately closed in August 1960 with debts to local businesses.
The project failed for a number of reasons[13]
- Location The distance and difficulty of transport to southern Australia was a problem. There was no direct rail
connection. There was a railway from Darwin to Larrimah and from Alice Springs to Adelaide but there was a gap of
1,000km between the two. Road transport was cut each year during the wet season. Shipping was the most suitable but
also had difficulties.
- Technology. Poor water control. Adequate water could not be provided when it was needed and control of excess
water was just as difficult. Water pumped from the Adelaide River was brackish unless flooded in the wet season.
Problems with water delayed harvesting and this reduced production and quality. Also, the varieties of rice selected were
not the most suitable.
- Finance. Insufficient funds plagued the project and budgets were often cut.
- Philosophy. The philosophy of management was that maximum profits would be obtained if initial farm development
costs were kept to a minimum. This resulted in insufficient funds being available for successful cropping so the real
potential of production was not achieved or tested so the proposed small farms were not taken up.
- Management. Management was not centralised and responsibilities were spread between Humpty Doo, Brisbane,
Sydney and Los Angeles. This, combined with the simple communication technology of the time made effective
management of this complex project difficult.
- Magpie geese are commonly blamed for the failure of the project. While they were a problem, eating seedlings and
grain as well as trampling on plants, they were not the cause of the failure.
Creditors took over all TRL’s assets and a new company was formed, Adelaide River Pty Ltd (ARPL) It could not
subdivide because it had no liquidity. ARPL allowed four farmers to use the assets at no cost if they repaired and
maintained the equipment.[14] This arrangement was authorized for one year at a time with the land lease and the
provision of additional capital equipment and profit or loss the responsibility of the farmers. Don Buck, Arthur Parker, Bob
Parker and Ted Kilpatrick took up this proposal.[15] As equal Directors, they formed Rice Development Ltd., with each
responsible for their individual farm.
In 1961 rice was loaded onto a ship from a floating wharf on the Adelaide River. “It looked peculiar to see a cargo
ship sailing apparently through the rice bays, at high tide.”[16]
The four farmers improved rice production with different rice varieties. However, they ran out of capital and as they did
not wish to apply for another bank loan, closed down in 1964. Later, another farmer grew several good rice crops in the
Upper Adelaide River area but discontinued because cattle were more economic.[17]
Fogg Dam was made a Bird Protection District in 1959 because of the vast number and variety of birds in the area.[18]
Fogg Dam was declared a Heritage site in May 2009.
Modifications were made to the dam by the Conservation Commission in about 1993 to improve visitor experience.
Works included creation of two islands, widening of part of the wall, construction of viewing platforms and creation of two
forest walks. Interesting historical information
Fogg Dam was named after Mr James D Fogg, Managing Director of Utah Australia Ltd., a partner of Territory Rice
Ltd.[19] Entrepreneur, Art Linklater, was on the Board of TRL. Harrison Dam was named after RAAF Squadron Leader
Arthur Mander Harrison who was responsible for establishing airfields and facilities in the Northern Territory, including
Fogg Dam.
Friends of Fogg Dam
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The name Humpty Doo and it’s changing location[20]
The name Humpty Doo was the Aboriginal name for the area covering Humpty Doo Station, the TRL and Thiess camps,
Fogg Dam and Harrison Dam. When Charles Herbert, an early Administrator of the Northern Territory, took possession
of two adjacent stations he used the Aboriginal names of Humpty Doo and Koolpinyah for the respective properties.
- From 1954 to 1964 the Territory Rice Ltd camp was known as Humpty Doo. When the school was built in 1964 the
TRL camp was given the name Middle Point.
- In 1972 the Skewes built a pub on the Arnhem Highway and called it the Humpty Doo Hotel.
After cyclone Tracy the population in the rural area increased and the population centre close to the Stuart Highway
became known as Humpty Doo town.
‘Middle Point’ was the middle point of the rice project and the river pump.[21]
Anzac Parade was built by the RAAF Construction Squadron under contract to TRL.[22] It was named Anzac Parade
because clearing for the road began on Anzac Day 1956.[23]
The road into Fogg Dam from Anzac Parade is Harrison Road.[24]
Beatrice Hill was named after the survey ship Beatrice which sailed along the Adelaide River. In 1886 Ellengowan, a
steamship, took cargo 96km up the Adelaide River to Beatrice Hill.[25]
[1] NT statistics, Darwin population 1954,1961, Commonwealth Government.
[2] Wayne S Mollah. Humpty Doo Rice in the Northern Territory, ANU North Aust. Unit Monograph, 1982, pxi
[3] Edward Irwin Kilpatrick. Commercial Rice at Humpty Doo 1954-1964. EI Kilpatrick, Darwin, NT, 1998, p29,30,37
[4] Op.cit. p30
[5] Op.cit. p15,18.
[6] Op.cit. p24.
[7] Op.cit. p58.
[8] Op cit. p24
[9] Op.cit. p25
[10 Op.cit. p183
[11 Op.cit. p48,58.
[12 Op.cit. p5
[13] Wayne Mollah. Humpty Doo Rice in the Northern Territory, ANU North Aust. Unit Monograph, Darwin, 1982, p17-24.
[14] Edward Irwin Kilpatrick. Commercial Rice at Humpty Doo 1954-1964. EI Kilpatrick, Darwin, 1998, p151,152
[15] Op.cit. p153
[16] Op.cit. p174,175
[17] Op.cit. p196
[18] Richard Freeman. “Conserving Top End Wetlands for Tourism,” in Moffatt I and Webb A, editors.
Conservation and Development Issues in Northern Australia. North Aust. Research Unit, NARU, Darwin 1992, p83.
[19] Op.cit. p83
[20] Kilpatrick, op.cit. p15
[21] Op.cit. p7
[22] Op.cit. p7
[23] Op.cit. p18
[24] Op.cit. p15
[25] Op.cit. p16
Friends of Fogg Dam
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