COSSACKS LEAVE PEANUT LEGACY
Believe it or not, a group of Cossacks transformed the agricultural economy of Katherine region in the 1920s after fleeing political unrest in post-revolutionary Russia.
Library & Archives NT. Clearing for peanut land on Adelaide River.
The hardworking, innovative settlers established peanut farming on leases granted by the government as part of an agricultural development initiative.
The Cossacks cleared land and combined traditional European farming techniques with adaptations for the Australian Outback to start large-scale peanut production with sidelines of vegetables and citrus fruits.
Farmers worked together to share resources, labour and market access.
The legacy of the Cossack peanut farmers in Katherine can be seen in the streets named after them, such as Zimm Dive, Ivanetz Crescent and Pascoe Place.
