 In a desire to achieve closer settlement, the Queensland Government undertook a program of resuming all or parts of larger estates and then offering the land as a number of smaller lots to selectors.As early as 1862, the Birkbecks were aware of surveys of agricultural land taking place on the town side of their run.Samuel Birkbeck died in 1867 and his sons, Robert, Alfred and Carlos, were left to manage the property.