The first South Sea Islanders for the Yeppoon Sugar Plantation came from the Solomon Islands in September 1883. The mill manager had reported to the Company that he was hampered by shortage of labour; he was offering good wages of 30 shillings a week to European workers but could not get good ploughmen or horse-drivers. Islanders were paid only six pounds a year and were supplied with rations and clothing as listed below. However the Islanders were traditionally gardeners and fishermen and had no difficulty in supplementing their rations, catching fish and growing their own vegetables.
