The Art of Living in Australia | Page 4

ABIDING HOPE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALL
THE: GREAT NATURAL FOOD INDUSTRIES OF OUR
COUNTRY.

PREFACE.
Although this work fully deals with all the many matters connected
with the art of living in Australia, its principal object is the attempt to
bring about some improvement in the extraordinary food-habits at
present in vogue. For years past the fact that our people live in direct
opposition to their semi-tropical environment has been constantly
before me. As it will be found in the opening portion of the chapter on
School Cookery, the consumption of butcher's meat and of tea is
enormously in excess of any common sense requirements, and is
paralleled nowhere else in the world. On the other hand, there has been
no real attempt to develop our deep-sea fisheries; market gardening is
deplorably neglected, only a few of the more ordinary varieties being
cultivated; salads, which are easily within the daily reach of every
home, are conspicuous by their absence; and Australian wine, which
should be the national beverage of every-day life, is at table--almost a
curiosity.
Nearly three years have been occupied in the preparation of this volume,
as several of the subjects it treats of have hitherto remained practically
unexplored. This statement is not intended to excuse any shortcomings,
but simply to explain the impediments which had to be overcome.
There has been some little difficulty, therefore, in obtaining
information in many instances. At the same time, it must be cheerfully
recorded that assistance was freely forthcoming on the part of those
from whom it was sought. Quite a number have been interviewed on
the topics with which they were familiar; and on several occasions this
has necessitated journeys out of Sydney on the writer's part. With the
object of making inquiries into the fish supply of Melbourne, also, a
special visit was paid to that city. And further, in order to gain an
insight into vineyard work and cellar management, an instructive time
was passed at Dr. T. Fiaschi's magnificent Tizzana vineyard on the
Hawkesbury River.
It may seem to savour somewhat of boldness, yet I hazard the opinion
that the real development of Australia will never actually begin till this
wilful violation of her people's food-life ceases. For let us suppose that
the semi-tropical character of our Australian life was duly appreciated
by one and all. If such were the case--and I would it were so--there

would be a wonderful change from the present state of affairs. But as it
is, the manners and customs of the Australians are a perpetual
challenge to the range of temperature in which they live. Indeed, the
form of food they indulge in proves incontestably that they have never
yet realized their semi-tropical environment. With a proper recognition
of existing climatic surroundings there would be an overwhelming
demand for more fish food; for something better than the present
Liliputian supply; and for the creation of extensive deep-sea fisheries.
Fish in Australia is nothing more than a high-priced luxury, although
projects for the development of the deep-sea fisheries have been
repeatedly suggested. Somehow or other we never get beyond this stage,
and as a consequence the yield from our fisheries is simply pitiable. A
widespread use of fish and an adequate fish supply would give
employment to hundreds and to thousands. As I have pointed out in the
chapter relating to this subject, the want of enterprise shown in starting
our deep-sea fisheries is an inexplicable anomaly. If the Australian
people had sprung from an inland race, this would not, perhaps, have
been so difficult to understand. But coming, as we do, from a stock the
most maritime the world has ever seen, such a defect is not to our credit
as inheritors of the old traditions.
Nor can it be pretended that market gardening has ever been taken up
seriously, if we apply the statement to Australia as a whole. It is true
that Sydney and Melbourne, and possibly Adelaide and Brisbane, have
made an attempt in this direction. But even with this admission there is
not much reason for congratulation from an olitory point of view.
Few--only very few--of the more commonly known varieties are grown.
For if the potato and the cabbage were taken away, Australia would be
almost bereft of vegetables. There are, however, many others, which
are delicious and wholesome, which are easily grown, and which would
make a pleasing addition to the present monotonously restricted choice.
And there is something even more than all this. It is, that market
gardening is a healthy and profitable calling; that it settles the people
on the land; and that it creates a class of small landed proprietors--the
very bone and sinew of any population.
In the chapter relating to Australian Food Habits it will be found that
many of these