Principal land utilization zones

This map shows the result of George Woodroffe Goyder's survey which was the delineation of land suitable for growing crops and land that could only support grazing. The scale of shades also allows the division of sheep grazing and cattle grazing to be outlinedIt also shows the line of demarcation which came to be known as Goyder's Line.

George Woodroffe Goyder was born in Liverpool, England in 1826. He emigrated to Sydney in 1848 and subsequently moved to Adelaide and joined the South Australian Public Service in 1851. Goyder joined the Department of Lands in 1853 and was appointed Surveyor-General in 1861. As Surveyor-General he undertook several surveys in northern South Australia (1857-1866) and was responsible for determining the line of demarcation between the land suitable for growing crops and the land that was only suitable for pastoral land. This line became known as Goyder's Line. The line lead to the reassessment of leases, but was unpopular.

Goyder's Line has proved to be very accurate, however during years of unusually good rainfall the government, under pressure from farmers wanting to secure land, decided to sell land north of Goyder's Line for growing crops. Goyder was later proved to be correct when many farms north of the line failed due to lack of reliable rainfall.

A farmer from Winnowie writes in a letter to the editor:

Goyder's ghost seems to hover about, if we are to judge by the result of the last two seasons... I have seen five seasons north of [Goyder's Line] and every year, about August, the wheat was in a dying condition... I paid dearly for my folly...
(The Register, 22 December 1881, page 6e)

Goyder's line became a common feature on maps of South Australia.

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