A.U.S.N. Co.s GUIDE.
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New South Wales. .WW South Wales has a population estimated 1916 at 1,858,5 44. Its total trade in 1910-7 amounted to £173,784,101, of which £76,228,079 was imports and ££95,555,482 exports, showing a difference to credit of £31,720,803 over imports. The live stock of the State amount to 37,000,000 sheep. 2,700,000 cattle, and 730,000 horses, while an area upwards of 3,280,000 acres was in 1917 under wheat. There are 4,437 miles of railway lines open for traffic, penetrating the interior in all directions. In the Government Savings Bank in credit to 885,891 depositors is £41,287,812 or £40 12s. Id. average per head. The State Loan indebtedness is £138,138,340 ,or £74 per head of population, the annual interest bill being £4,916,203. Little need be said of the progress of this great State beyond these figures, and the fact that wtien Governor Philip landed in Sydney Cove on January 20, 1788, the fleet accompanying him totalled in tonnage the A.U.S.N. Co.'s Wyreema, the arrivals numbered a few more than 1,000 persons, the necessities of life were brought with the ships, and barter was for years the common necessity of trade.
Challis House and Offices of the N.S. Wales Government Tourist and Information Bureau, Martin Place, Sydney. EW SOUTH WALKS, the Mother State of Australia, has an area of about 309,460 square miles. In shape, it is an irregular four-sided figure with an extreme breadth, from the_ Pacific Ocean to South Australia at the 141 meridian, of 850 miles, and its exereme length of about 900 miles. The country may be divided into three distinct portions. The Coast District which lies between the Dividing or Coast range is in width from 20 to 100 miles; a region of rugged mountains and fertile valleys, gentle slopes and steep activities, watered by numerous streams and settled by a steadily progressive population. Prom the Coast district the country rises abruptly to the height of between two and three thousand feet, spreading out into broad tablelands. On the eastern side, and especially where flanked by the Coast range the descent is often precipitous; and in the earliest period of settlement, the barrier interposed by the perpendicular rocks, which form the eastern edge of the tableland, prevented the colonists from penetrating to the interior for a quarter of a century. This tableland is generally undulating, with open forest and lightly-timbered downs, and is in elevation of from two to three thousand feet with a manificent climate. Westward these tablelands emerge into the great level western plains. Great areas of open downs, dotted here and there with lew range or granite hills, but generally vast areas of level country of rich black soil and sandy luam, the home of millions of sheep.
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Throughout this country railways have been constructed, and tourists may enjoy in ease and comfort, journeys in every direction— visiting the old-time mining centres, the rich farming districts, or the great pastoral areas of NTew South Wales. What wonderful progress has been made in the intervening years from the first settlement may be gauged by those'who visit not merely Sydney, but push inland to the great well-watered Riverina, onwards towards the Darling, northwards towards the Queensland border, or southwards into the great dairying districts. On such a journey the visitor crosses hundreds of miles of magnificent country, rich in agricultural and pastoral wealth, and relieved by glimpses, of glorious scenery, and flourishing towns. Such prosperity as one would see, attained in so short a time, is a wonder of the world.
Outward Bound, Sydney Heads.