Land has been the source of great wealth but also great strife
for the colony of Victoria. Many of Victoria’s earliest European
settlers illegally occupied the land they farmed, accumulating
wealth and power that they used to maintain their positions in
the face of challenges from later settlers. These early
“squatters” played a major role in shaping the state. Victoria
was the only permanent British colony to be settled without the
permission of the British authorities. Victoria’s first European
settlers built a small empire in Portland. Joseph Docker was a
respected pioneer in the country and a shrewd businessman in his
city dealings. Anne Drysdale and Caroline Newcomb were
remarkable women for their time as they were both landholders
and pastoralists. The rise and rise of the squatter provided the
basis for much of Victoria's wealth prior to the gold rushes.