| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | 123087 |
| 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
|
BARMERA, SA 1943-11-23. NO. 14 CAMP GARDENS, LOVEDAY INTERNMENT GROUP. THIS SPECIAL TYPE OF COMB ...
Description
BARMERA, SA 1943-11-23. NO. 14 CAMP GARDENS, LOVEDAY INTERNMENT GROUP. THIS SPECIAL TYPE OF COMB WAS FITTED TO A SPECIALLY ADAPTED HARVESTER USED TO HARVEST THE FIFTY ACRE CROP OF OPIUM POPPIES (PAPAVER SOMNIFERUM) SOWN IN 1943-03. THE CROP FLOWERED IN 1943-10 AND WAS HARVESTED IN 1943-11 BUT DROUGHT CAUSED A LOW YIELD. HOWEVER 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)