Rice is thought to have been first introduced to Australia by Chinese prospectors as they worked on the goldfields of NSW and Victoria in the 1850s. It is believed that they cultivated the rice seeds in marshy areas, or in ponds, surrounding the goldfields. The rice would help feed the workers whilst they fossicked for gold. But the lack of evidence suggests that these early attempts were unsuccessful.

In the early 1900s in south–eastern Australia successful trials for commercial rice production began. In 1906 the Victorian government allocated 80 hectares of land to Mr Isaburo (Jo) Takasuka, a former parliamentarian from Japan. He aimed to demonstrate rice growing at Swan Hill. Mr Takasuka began experimenting with the cultivation of the Japanese japonica rice variety.

In the meantime, in south–western NSW, Sir Samuel McCaughey, a wool farmer, demonstrated that irrigation was indeed possible in an area along the Murrumbidgee River. This irrigation would assist commercial crop production, including rice, which had previously failed due to lack of water in the region. This small experimental area on Sir McCaughey's farm eventually became the Yanco Experiment Farm. The NSW State Government was persuaded to support the idea of a large irrigation scheme in the same area.

In 1906, the NSW Government passed the Barren Jack and Murrumbidgee Canals Construction Act. This saw the damming of the Murrumbidgee River about 60 km south–west of Yass and the construction of the Burrinjuck Dam, enabling the development of the irrigation area. Further government legislation in the form of The Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area Resumption Act, 1910, and the Irrigation Act 1910 authorised the expansion of the irrigation area. These Acts allowed the Yanco and Mirrool areas to also be developed.

The first farmers in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area grew fruit, vegetables and produced dairy products, but a combination of unsuitable soils, small farm sizes and inadequate farming skills led to great financial difficulties for the farmers.

In 1914, with the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area Scheme well underway, Mr Takasuka sent his son Sho to Leeton and the Yanco Experiment Farm with two saddlebags of rice seed from their successful rice harvest at Swan Hill.

At the Yanco Experiment Farm, Sho and a number of researchers worked with the Takasuka seed. In 1915 the first rice growing trials at Yanco produced a small amount of rice. This discouraging yield, however, did not deter the NSW Department of Agriculture. They kept investigating rice production as a future successful commodity for Australia.

In 1920, Mr Jack Brady an employee of the NSW Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission was sent to California, United States of America, to investigate alternative farming. He studied the japonica rice variety and observed that rice in California was produced in similar soil types and climatic conditions to that of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. Mr Brady returned to NSW excited with new ideas about rice growing in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. These ideas were trialled at the Yanco Experiment Farm. In 1922 they successfully demonstrated the viability of rice in the region. Rice seeds harvested in 1923 from a successful 1922 trial of the 'Japonica' varieties of rice were offered to farmers. This pioneer crop yielded 222 tonnes of paddy.

Following further field tests and trials, incorporating Mr Takasuka's rice seeds and techniques, as well as those from abroad, the first commercial crops of rice were grown in the Leeton and Yenda districts in 1924.

In 1928 at the Yanco Experiment Farm, a rice-breeding program commenced. This program aimed to produce pure rice seed. Later the program was able to introduce new varieties of rice more suited to the southern NSW environment. Rice growing quickly became an important enterprise on irrigation farms in the Leeton, Yenda and Griffith districts. By 1930, rice production satisfied the needs of Australia 's domestic market. Exporting soon began.

To supply rice for Australian's in World War II, rice production was increased to include Wakool in the Murray Valley and in 1950 extended to Denimein and Deniboota Irrigation Districts near Deniliquin. In 1960, the Coleambally Irrigation Area was established and substantial areas were developed for rice farming. Later in the 1960s, rice production commenced in the Finley area. Both of these areas were developed as irrigation farming areas as a result of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme.

Until 1988 the Department of Land and Water Conservation only allowed rice production on these government irrigation areas and districts. However, since 1988 suitable rice growing has been determined on environmental grounds. Today, rice is also produced in areas around Hay, Carathool, Hillston, Forbes and Echuca.

The Riverina now produces an annual crop of up to 1.7 million tonnes of paddy. Ricegrowers Limited, formed in 1950, now exports 85% of production as branded, packages Australian product to over 75 countries around the world. Rice exports are worth $400 million per annum. Today rice is a major agricultural export of Australia.

Further Internet resources:

History
Timeline
Irrigation
Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area map
Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area
Rice varieties

resource:
Student handout : Word meaning list
Map of Riverina district