George Greene Print Page

The plaque, erected by the sharefarmers, commemorates pastoralist and founder of Greenethorpe, George Greene. 

On 9 July 1890, George Greene became a foundation member of the Pastoralists` Union of New South Wales. He favoured conciliation with the Amalgamated Shearers` Union of Australasia and unlike many other pastoralists, he was not opposed to unionism itself. In 1893 he was a commissioner for the World`s Columbian Exposition at Chicago. Greene`s wheat-growing gradually met with success and in 1893 he introduced share-farming, which soon proved very popular. By 1911 his property Iandra had some fifty share-farmers working 18,000 acres (7284 ha); with another 5000 acres (2024 ha) fallow and 20,000 sheep being run. The farmers supplied the labour and machinery, while Greene provided land cleared for ploughing, the seed and some fertilizer, and closely controlled the farming practices. In 1903 Greene was the first to grow W. J. Farrer`s `Federation` wheat commercially. As Iandra prospered, Greene in 1908 started building a village at the Iandra rail siding that became known as Greenethorpe.

Location

Details