ABSTRACT
Expansion along Australia’s Wet Frontier tended to occur in bursts. New areas, often well-defined topographical areas such as plateaus, valleys or ranges, were ‘rushed’ by eager settlers, quickly cleared and settled. Between European settlement and the Gold Rushes, small bursts of settlement occurred along the coast of New South Wales and to a lesser extent in Tasmania. The difficulties of access led the Europeans to at first overestimate the size of the island and its food-producing capability. The cedar-cutters were the European pioneers of the rainforests. Working in pairs or small groups, they lived a rough and wild life beyond the borders of officialdom. In many cases, they were the first Europeans to come in contact with the Aborigines of an area. The colonial government, keen to attract capital, gave large grants to wealthy companies, such as the Australian Agricultural Company at Port Stephens north of Newcastle, or individuals such as Alexander Berry on the Shoalhaven River south of Illawarra.
