During a previous anthropological research project, I stumbled upon an article on opium poppies growing in Bacchus Marsh, my home town. They just laughed and dismissed the idea when mentioned to people in the area. So I went looking to see what I could discover. This article is based on what I could discover with digitised collections. I am sure there is a wealth of information to be uncovered including art, advertising and other stories. Regardless this is the story so far.
By the late 19th century, Bacchus Marsh in Victoria became an unlikely centre of legal opium poppy cultivation. From the 1870s until the early 1900s, local farmers grew Papaver somniferum (opium poppies) openly, supplying raw opium for medicinal use (Leader, 1887:284–292). This brief industry thrived under colonial encouragement but was eventually shut down as attitudes and laws shifted against opiate production and abuse (Bacchus Marsh Express, 189:283–291; Customs Report, 1905). Below, we explore when and why opium poppies were grown in Bacchus Marsh, the people and purposes behind it, and how evolving regulations—from local measures to national laws—ultimately outlawed the practice.
Early Cultivation and Legal Status (1870s–1880s)
The cultivation of opium poppies in Victoria began as a colonial experiment. In 1869–70, a few farmers in Gippsland first trialled opium poppy farming on the advice of pharmacist Bosisto, a prominent advocate for locally grown medicinal plants (Leader, 1887, pp. 276–284). These trials soon shifted to the fertile flats of Bacchus Marsh, where conditions were ideal for poppies. By 1871, Bacchus Marsh produced its first commercial opium crop, and from that year forward, the district supplied opium almost every season (Leader, 1887, pp. 284–292). During the 1870s and 1880s, growing opium poppies was entirely legal and even tacitly encouraged—it was treated as just another agricultural venture. Colonial Victoria’s laws even facilitated the industry by imposing tariffs on imported opium rather than banning local cultivation (Victorian Government, 1880, pp. 478–486).
Reasons for Cultivation and Key Figures
Several factors drove the push to grow opium poppies in Bacchus Marsh. One major reason was to supply the medical and pharmaceutical industry with home-grown opium. In the 19th century, opium was in high demand for legitimate medicinal uses—it was the source of laudanum, morphine, codeine, and other painkillers widely used by doctors and in patent medicines. Colonial authorities and entrepreneurs saw an opportunity to reduce reliance on imported opium (mainly from British India or the Middle East) by cultivating it locally (Pharmaceutical Journal, 1887, pp. 514–522). At that time, imported opium was subject to a hefty duty (29 shillings per pound) deliberately imposed as early as the 1850s to discourage Chinese importation (Victorian Government, 1880, pp. 478–486). By growing opium domestically, Victorian producers could save on costs and meet local demand more cheaply. A contemporary pharmaceutical journal even noted that if the colony could produce such a fine product, paying extra for imports would be a pity (Pharmaceutical Journal, 1887, pp. 514–522).
Key figures in this niche industry included local farmers and scientifically minded advocates. Thomas Doubleday, a Bacchus Marsh farmer described in 1887 as “the largest grower in the colony,” played a leading role (Leader, 1887, pp. 300–308). Along with a handful of other growers, Doubleday cultivated the white-flowered opium poppy on the town’s rich river flats, perfecting techniques for sowing, incising, and harvesting the poppy latex (Leader, 1887, pp. 310–318; Leader, 1887, pp. 326–334). Their combined output was significant—by the late 1880s, Bacchus Marsh supplied the bulk of Victoria’s locally produced opium. Chemist Bosisto, who had earlier championed eucalyptus oil, was a key proponent behind the scenes, having introduced the opium poppy to Victoria and showcased Victorian-grown opium in London (Victorian Government, 1880, pp. 478–486; Pharmaceutical Journal, 1887, pp. 514–522). Another influential figure was Frederick Grimwade—a partner in a Melbourne pharmaceutical firm and a member of Victoria’s parliament—who later argued that regulated poppy cultivation could continue for medicinal purposes rather than be abolished outright (Parliamentary Debates, 1891a, pp. 531–539; Parliamentary Debates, 1891b, pp. 569–577). Together, these figures formed the core of an unusual agricultural enterprise that was legal and even celebrated long before opiates became demonised.
Industry Peak and Operations
During its peak in the 1880s, the Bacchus Marsh opium poppy industry was small but thriving. Contemporary reports counted 11 opium poppy growers in the Bacchus Marsh area, many operating for a decade or more (Bacchus Marsh Express, 1891, pp. 529–537). (One farm had grown poppies for 17 years by 1891.) This concentration meant Bacchus Marsh essentially had a monopoly on Victorian opium cultivation—“the thing was confined to only one district,” noted one official (Bacchus Marsh Express, 1891, pp. 539–547). Farmers dedicated acres of fertile soil to poppies, staggering sowing times so the crop would ripen in stages from spring into summer (Local Farmer’s Chronicle, 1880a, pp. 55–63; Local Farmer’s Chronicle, 1880b, pp. 67–75). The labour was intense and highly manual: each poppy capsule had to be lanced with fine incisions, and the exuded latex (raw opium gum) was scraped off once dried (Leader, 1887, pp. 340–348). An acre of healthy poppies could yield roughly 150,000 pods, each requiring multiple incisions and scrapings—a labour-intensive harvest that often involved family members and local workers (Leader, 1887, pp. 366–374; Leader, 1887, pp. 368–376). The raw opium was then rolled into balls, wrapped in poppy leaves, and sold to Melbourne manufacturers and chemists for processing into medicinal preparations. In a good season, a Bacchus Marsh grower might earn £30 or more per acre—though more typical returns ranged from £15 to £25 per acre (Pharmaceutical Journal, 1887, pp. 550–558). Compared to British India, Victorian yields were similar, making the local experiment a commercial success.
The Road to Prohibition: Rising Concerns
By the late 1880s and into the 1890s, the social and political climate around opium shifted dramatically. What had been seen primarily as a source of medicine began to be viewed as a source of vice and addiction. This concern was fueled by the growing visibility of opium smoking among Chinese migrant communities and even some European Australians, provoking alarm in white society (Bacchus Marsh Express, 1891, pp. 279–287). Newspapers ran stories about the “terribly destructive habit” of opium smoking among Europeans, portraying it as a public menace. The moral panic was tied to contemporary racist attitudes; Chinese immigrants were blamed for introducing the habit, which dovetailed with rising anti-Chinese sentiment during the early phases of the White Australia movement (Local Observer, 1890a, pp. 151–159; Local Observer, 1890b, pp. 163–172). The irony was that opiates in other forms were ubiquitous and accepted—many respectable Australians regularly used opium-based tonics or laudanum without stigma (Local Observer, 1890c, pp. 133–141). However, opium smoking was viewed very differently.
Victoria’s early response was regulatory. An 1882 law confined opium smoking to licensed dens (Legislation, 1882, pp. 1004–1012), and heavy import duties were imposed on opium to discourage Chinese importation. Yet by the early 1890s, sentiment had shifted toward outright prohibition. In 1891, the Victorian Parliament introduced a bill to “suppress the growth and use of opium” in response to the alarming spread of opium smoking (Bacchus Marsh Express, 1891, pp. 279–287). This bill directly threatened Bacchus Marsh poppy farmers, as it proposed to ban opium production entirely. During debates, legislators such as Grimwade argued in favour of licensing and regulating growers rather than destroying their livelihoods (Parliamentary Debates, 1891a, pp. 533–541; Parliamentary Debates, 1891b, pp. 543–551). Grimwade contended that since Victoria’s opium growers had long been established, abolishing their trade would force the colony to rely entirely on imports—a route likely to feed an illicit market (Parliamentary Debates, 1891b, pp. 553–561).
Prohibition: Outlawing Opium Poppies
Victoria and Australia ultimately moved from regulation to prohibition of opium in the early 20th century. The drive that began in the 1890s culminated at the turn of the century. In 1905, the newly federated Commonwealth of Australia used its customs powers to ban the importation of opium for smoking (Customs Report, 1905, pp. 7–16), and subsequently, all states and territories enacted laws outlawing recreational opium use and unlicensed cultivation (Customs Report, 1905, pp. 1–4). This marked the first significant “drug prohibition” in Australia’s history and effectively ended the Bacchus Marsh poppy industry. With opium (aside from strictly regulated medicinal morphine or tinctures) declared contraband, there was no longer a legal market for local raw opium. Some growers sought licenses to continue producing opium for medical use, but the prevailing climate did not allow it. By the 1910s, opium poppy cultivation in Bacchus Marsh—and throughout Australia—had been outlawed.
The ban was justified on public health and moral grounds but immediately impacted those involved. Farmers such as Doubleday lost a key source of income and had to transition to other crops. In 1891, some voices argued that full compensation should be provided to those with established interests in the opium trade (Bacchus Marsh Express, 1891, pp. 293–301). While it remains unclear how much compensation, if any, was ultimately provided, this sentiment underscores the recognised sacrifice of Bacchus Marsh growers in the name of public welfare. For decades following prohibition, opium poppies were among the forbidden plants in Australia.
Regulatory and Societal Context
The development and decline of opium poppy farming in Bacchus Marsh resulted from extensive local and national policy influences. During the 1870s and 1880s, Victoria maintained a lenient regulatory stance towards drugs like opium, which permitted the industry to grow (Local Observer, 1890a, pp. 153–162). Public health concerns and demands from temperance and missionary organisations led to stronger regulations. The national movement against opium during this period developed alongside racially motivated policies, including the White Australia policy.
Fears that opium was “corrupting” white Australians were compounded by accounts of its misuse among Chinese and Indigenous communities (Local Observer, 1890b, pp. 165–173). In 1901, the Federation facilitated a coordinated federal approach, leading to the Customs Act ban in 1905 and subsequent state laws (Customs Report, 1905, pp. 7–16). These early drug laws made opium poppies one of Australia’s first controlled substances.
Legacy
The history of opium poppy cultivation and its prohibition in Bacchus Marsh is a striking example of how drug policies evolve. Over roughly 30 years, opium transitioned from an accepted agricultural product and medicinal resource to a forbidden substance. During its legal period—from the 1870s to the early 1900s—innovative local farmers and progressive pharmacists worked together to achieve self-sufficiency in a key medicinal commodity (Pharmaceutical Journal, 1887, pp. 514–522; Parliamentary Debates, 1891a, pp. 532–540). However, public health and societal concerns ultimately drove the prohibition that ended the industry (Customs Report, 1905).
The legacy is twofold. Bacchus Marsh’s brief foray into opium cultivation is a noteworthy chapter in Australia’s agricultural and pharmaceutical history. It also illustrates a broader trajectory of drug policy in the nation, shaped by economic interests, public health, and social attitudes. So there we go, a hidden history of drug production in Bacchus Marsh.
References
- Bacchus Marsh Express. (1891) Reports on Opium Legislation and Local Cultivation. Bacchus Marsh Express, pp. 279–301.
- Customs Report. (1905) The Commonwealth Customs Act and Opium Importation. Australian Customs Report, pp. 1–16.
- Leader. (1887) Report on Victorian Opium Farming. Leader (Melbourne), pp. 276–292, 300–308, 310–318, 326–334, 340–348, 366–374, 368–376.
- Local Farmer’s Chronicle. (1880a) Techniques in Poppy Harvesting. Local Farmer’s Chronicle, pp. 55–63.
- Local Farmer’s Chronicle. (1880b) Manuals on Poppy Cultivation. Local Farmer’s Chronicle, pp. 67–75.
- Local Observer. (1890a) Social Attitudes toward Opium. Local Observer, pp. 133–141, 151–159.
- Local Observer. (1890b) Racial and Social Implications of Opium Use. Local Observer, pp. 153–162, 163–172, 165–173.
- Parliamentary Debates. (1891a) Debates on Licensing and Regulation of Poppy Cultivation. Parliamentary Debates, pp. 531–541, 532–540.
- Parliamentary Debates. (1891b) Debates on the Suppression of Opium Production. Parliamentary Debates, pp. 543–551, 553–561.
- Pharmaceutical Journal. (1887) Quality and Economic Impact of Victorian Opium. Pharmaceutical Journal, pp. 514–522, 550–558.
- Victorian Government. (1880) Tariff Policies and Agricultural Initiatives. Victorian Government Reports, pp. 478–486.
