BARMERA, SA 1943-11-23. NO. 14 CAMP GARDENS, LOVEDAY INTERNMENT GROUP. MR HARWOOD OF HORWOOD ...

Places
Accession Number 123085
Collection type Photograph
Object type Black & white
Physical description Black & white
Maker Cullen, Hedley Keith
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

BARMERA, SA 1943-11-23. NO. 14 CAMP GARDENS, LOVEDAY INTERNMENT GROUP. MR HARWOOD OF HORWOOD BAGSHAW AND COMPANY STANDING AMONGST THE RIPE PODS OF THE FIFTY ACRE CROP OF OPIUM POPPIES (PAPAVER SOMNIFERUM) SOWN IN 1943-03, FLOWERED IN 1943-10 AND HARVESTED IN 1943-11. MR HARWOOD HAD ASSISTED WITH THE CONVERSION OF A HARVESTER USED TO TAKE OFF THE CROP. THE 1943 CROP WAS HAMPERED BY DROUGHT BUT BY 1945 THE ANNUAL HARVEST AMOUNTED TO APPROXIMATELY THIRTY FIVE TONS OF POPPY HEADS WHICH MADE THE BARMERA AREA THE PRINCIPLE SOURCE OF POPPY STRAW IN AUSTRALIA. THIS IN TURN ENABLED THE COMMONWEALTH TO BECOME INDEPENDENT OF OVERSEAS SOURCES OF MORPHINE AND OTHER OPIUM DERIVATIVES. (PHOTOGRAPHER SGT H. K. CULLEN)