List of the largest stations in Australia

This is a list of the largest stations in Australia, which includes stations with an area in excess of 4,000 square kilometres (1,500 sq mi).

All of the largest pastoral leases are located in the three states of South Australia (SA), Queensland (QLD), and Western Australia (WA), and the Northern Territory (NT).

The vast majority are cattle stations with no sheep stations appearing in the top ten. Most of the properties are owned by pastoral companies such as Australian Agricultural Company, Consolidated Pastoral Company, S. Kidman & Co Ltd, North Australian Pastoral Company, Heytesbury Pty. Ltd., Paraway Pastoral Company and the Jumbuck Pastoral Company.

Largest stations

This list includes the stations in Australia by virtue of area:

Anna Creek homestead
Alexandria Station, homestead and outbuildings, Queensland, 1921
Channel Country, home to some of Queensland's largest cattle stations
Dunes near Andado
Cattle and horses in stockyards at Victoria River Downs circa 1985
Brumbies next to the Innamincka Track
Innamincka Station 1910
Donkey team at Wave Hill station, Northern Territory, ca. 1946
Brolgas, Brunette Downs station, Barkly Tableland, NT
Meat House at Davenport Downs QLD, 1925
Tanami Track near Tanami Downs NT
Curtin Springs Station
Austral Downs Homestead ca. 1930
Nappa Merrie homestead in 1959
Noonkanbah woolshed, now the community centre
Rank Station State Area (km2) Area (mi2) Stock Year est. Notes References
1 Anna Creek SA 23,677 9,140 Cattle 1863 Grazed sheep originally, largest station in South Australia, Australia and the world. Area includes both Anna Creek and the Peake outstation combined. [1]
2 Clifton Hills SA 17,000 6,560 Cattle before 1881 Second largest station in SA [2]
3 Alexandria NT 16,116 6,220 Cattle 1877 Largest station in NT [3]
4 Davenport Downs QLD 15,100 5,830 Cattle before 1878 Largest station in Qld. Area includes both Davenport Downs and Springvale station combined. [4]
5 Home Valley WA 14,164 5,470 Cattle 1926 Largest station in WA. Area includes Home Valley, Karunjie and Durack River stations combined. Owned by Indigenous Land Corporation. [5]
6 Innamincka SA 13,552 5,230 Cattle 1872 Third largest station in SA. Size once estimated at 10,000 square miles (25,900 km2)[6][7]
7 Wave Hill NT 13,500 5,210 Cattle 1883 Second largest station in NT [8]
8 Marion Downs QLD 12,460 4,810 Cattle before 1878 Second largest station in QLD [9]
9 Brunette Downs NT 12,212 4,720 Cattle 1883 Third largest station in NT [10]
10 Quinyambie SA 12,141 4,690 Cattle 1872 Area quoted is maximum figure quoted as nearly 3 million acres [11]
11 De Grey Station WA 12,141 4,690 Cattle 1869 Second largest station in WA. Area figure may be disputed, in 1886 the area quoted was "nearly three millions of acres", and would include the Pardoo outstation [12]
12 Lake Nash NT 12,000 4,630 Cattle before 1879 Area includes the Lake Nash, Georgina Downs and Argadargada leases. [13]
13 Macumba SA 11,063 4,270 Cattle before 1874 [14]
14 Andado NT 10,850 4,190 Cattle 1880 [15]
15 Newcastle Waters NT 10,353 4,000 Cattle 1883 Area includes the Powell Creek and Tandyidgee pastoral leases.[16]
16 Helen Springs NT 10,198 3,940 Cattle before 1885 Area includes both Helen Springs and Brunchilly outstation combined. [17]
17 Rawlinna WA 10,117 3,910 Sheep 1962 Largest sheep station in WA, Australia and World [18][19]
18 Headingly Station QLD 10,032 3,870 Cattle 1881 Area includes Headingly, Carandotta and Wolgra leases [20]
19 Commonwealth Hill Station SA 10,000 3,860 Sheep 1890 Area includes both Commonwealth Hill and Mobella outstation combined. Biggest sheep station in SA, second largest sheep station in Australia [21]
20 Walhallow Station NT 9,997 3,860 Cattle 1881 [22]
21 Ruby Plains WA 9,674 3,740 Cattle 1889 Area includes both Ruby Plains and Sturt Creek outstation combined. [23]
22 Anthony Lagoon & Eva Downs NT 9,349 3,610 Cattle ? Both Anthony Lagoon and Eva Downs operate as one entity [24]
23 Strathmore QLD 9,310 3,590 Cattle ? Largest single pastoral lease in Queensland [25]
24 Durham Downs QLD 8,910 3,440 Cattle 1873 [26]
25 Victoria River Downs NT 8,900 3,440 Cattle 1880 At one time was the largest station in Australia and the world covering 41,000 km2 [26]
26 Adria Downs QLD 8,750 3,380 Cattle before 1912
27 Nockatunga QLD 8,500 3,280 Cattle 1870 [27]
28 Tanbar QLD 8,300 3,200 Cattle before 1884 [28]
29 Cordillo Downs SA 7,800 3,010 Cattle 1872 Grazed sheep until 1942 and was once regarded as Australia's largest sheep station. [29][30]
30 Dunbar QLD 7,770 3,000 Cattle before 1883 [31]
31 Arrabury QLD 7,600 2,930 Cattle before 1887 [32]
32 Naryilco QLD 7,510 2,900 Cattle before 1880 [33]
33 Mount Doreen NT 7,337 2,830 Cattle 1932 [34]
34 Nappa Merrie QLD 7,275 2,810 Cattle 1871 [35]
35 Gogo WA 7,082 2,730 Cattle 1885 [36]
36 Madura WA 7,082 2,730 Sheep 1876 Originally settled to breed horses for British Army in India [37][38]
37 Billa Kalina SA 7,000 2,700 Cattle ? Includes the Miller's Creek lease. [39]
38 Mittiebah NT 6,955 2,690 Cattle 1877 [40]
39 Glenormiston QLD 6,920 2,670 Cattle before 1881 [41]
40 Balfour Downs WA 6,800 2,630 Cattle before 1910 [42]
41 Durrie Station QLD 6,600 2,550 Cattle before 1908 [43]
42 Moola Bulla WA 6,600 2,550 Cattle 1910 [44]
43 Stuart Creek SA 6,500 2,510 Cattle [45]
44 Milly Milly WA 6,475 2,500 Sheep before 1879 Also has a small herd of cattle [46]
45 Coorabulka QLD 6,370 2,460 Cattle before 1882 [47]
46 Morney Plains QLD 6,240 2,410 Cattle before 1876 [48]
47 Tobermorey NT 5,994 2,310 Cattle before 1911 [49]
48 Mount Margaret QLD 5,990 2,310 Cattle before 1925 Has also previously been used for grazing sheep [50]
49 Mulka SA 5,600 2,160 Cattle before 1889 [51]
50 Elsey NT 5,334 2,060 Cattle 1879 The station that inspired the story and film We of the Never Never [52]
51 Henbury NT 5,273 2,040 Cattle 1875 Became a conservation area in 2011 [53]
52 Limbunya NT 5,222 2,020 Cattle before 1923 [54]
53 Diamantina Lakes QLD 5,070 1,960 Cattle 1876 Now a National Park [55]
54 Meda WA 5,059 1,950 Cattle before 1883 [56]
55 Tanumbirini NT 5,001 1,930 Cattle before 1908 [57]
56 South Galway Station QLD 4,876 1,880 Cattle Before 1884 [58]
57 Calvert Hills Station NT 4,814 1,860 Cattle [59]
58 Three Rivers WA 4,800 1,850 Sheep 1884 [60]
59 Wilgena SA 4,742 1,830 Sheep before 1909 Once used to graze cattle [61]
60 Austral Downs NT 4,692 1,810 Cattle 1883 [62]
61 Canobie QLD 4,291 1,660 Cattle 1864 [63]
62 Alroy Downs NT 4,232 1,630 Cattle 1877 [64]
63 Tanami Downs NT 4,200 1,620 Cattle before 1911 Formerly known as Mongrel Downs [65]
64 Auvergne NT 4,142 1,600 Cattle before 1886 [66]
65 Curtin Springs NT 4,050 1,560 Cattle 1930s [67]
66 Millungera QLD 4,047 1,560 Cattle 1880 [68]
67 Drysdale River WA 4,047 1,560 Cattle 1882 [69]
68 Banjawarn WA 4,047 1,560 Sheep 1903 [70]
69 El Questro Wilderness Park WA 4,047 1,560 Cattle 1903 The park still run 8'000 head of cattle.
70 Louisa Downs WA 4,000 1,540 Cattle before 1933
71 Noonkanbah WA 4,000 1,540 Cattle 1880s [71]

See also

References

  1. "Anna Creek". S. Kidman & Co Ltd. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  2. "Blazing saddles". The Age. 11 June 2005. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  3. "Alexandria". Northern Australian Pastoral Company. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  4. "Davenport Downs". Paraway Pastoral Co. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  5. "About Home Valley Station". Home Valley Station. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  6. "Innamincka". S. Kidman & Co Ltd. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  7. ""Cattle King" dead". The Northern Miner (Charters Towers, Queensland: National Library of Australia). 3 September 1935. p. 2. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  8. "Wave Hill station". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 8 August 2007. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  9. "Marion Downs". North Australian Pastoral Company. 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  10. "Brunette Downs". Australian Agricultural Company. 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  11. "Quinyambie Station 160 km north west Broken Hill NSW 2880". Homehound. 24 June 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  12. "The De Grey Station". The West Australian (Perth: National Library of Australia). 6 April 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  13. "Lake Nash: video profile of an outback cattle station". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 31 December 2009. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  14. "Macumba". S. Kidman & Co Ltd. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  15. "Things to see in Central Australia". Mount Dare hotel. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  16. "Newcastle Waters". Consolidated Pastoral Company. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  17. "Helen Springs". S. Kidman & Co Ltd. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  18. "Technical Bulletin – An inventory and condition survey of the Western Australian part of the Nullarbor region" (PDF). Department of Agriculture and Food. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  19. "Rawlinna". Jumbuck Pastoral Company. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  20. "Headingly Station". Australian Agricultural Company. 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  21. "Commonwealth Hill & Mobella". Jumbuck Pastoral Company. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  22. "Walhallow Station". Paraway Pastoral Co. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  23. "Ruby Plains". S. Kidman & Co Ltd. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  24. "Anthony Lagoon / Eva Downs". Australian Agricultural Company. 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  25. Peter Michael (25 August 2012). "Cattle herd vanishes in Devil's Triangle". Courier-Mail. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  26. 1 2 "Durham Downs Station". S. Kidman & Co Ltd. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  27. "Nockatunga". Consolidated Pastoral Company. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  28. "Properties". Western Grazing. 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  29. "Exploroz Cordillo Downs". 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  30. "Cordillo Downs Station". Flinders Ranges Research. 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  31. "Properties". MDH Pty. Ltd. 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  32. Mark Muller (1 October 2007). "Taking stock". Outback Magazine. Outback Publishing Company. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  33. "Naryilco". S. Kidman & Co. 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  34. James Nason (28 March 2014). "http://www.beefcentral.com/property/ntkimberley-property-15-pastoral-holdings-for-sale/". Beef Central. Nascon Media Pty Ltd. Retrieved 4 March 2015. External link in |title= (help)
  35. "Nappa Merrie". S. Kidman & Co. 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  36. "On the Fitzroy River.". Western Mail (Perth: National Library of Australia). 4 January 1902. p. 25. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  37. "Madura Station". Jumbuck Pastoral Company. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  38. "Madura". Explore Australia. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  39. "Billa Kalina Station". Outback Lakes SA. 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  40. "Mittiebah". Northern Australian Pastoral company. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  41. "Glenormiston". Northern Australian Pastoral company. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  42. "Pushing the envelope". Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney). 17 May 2005. p. 5. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  43. "Durrie Station". S. Kidman & Co. 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  44. Aja Styles (7 July 2011). "The curse of Moola Bulla station strikes again". WA Today. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  45. "Andamooka Station". Outback Lakes SA. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  46. "Milly Milly Station". Western Mail (Perth: National Library of Australia). 12 March 1910. p. 12. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  47. "Coorabulka". North Australian Pastoral Company. 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  48. "Morney Plains". S. Kidman & Co. 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  49. "Australia – Massive UK farm investment". Meat Trade News. 8 April 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  50. Amy Philips (3 June 2010). "Mt Margaret sells to NSW beef producer". Queensland: Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  51. "Desert fishing business booming". The Adelaide Advertiser. 8 April 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  52. "Fire management on Elsey Station" (PDF). Tropical Savannas CRC. 28 February 2001. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  53. "Henbury Conservation Project". Government of Australia. 20 February 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  54. "Life Skills Program" (PDF). HSE Pastoral. 2010. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  55. "Diamantina National Park – Nature, culture and history". Queensland Government. 9 January 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  56. "Meda". Jumbuck Pastoral. 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  57. "Australia – Massive UK farm investment". Meat Trade News. 8 April 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  58. "South Galway Station". Australian Agricultural Company. 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  59. James Nason (28 March 2014). "NT Kimberley Property -15 pastoral holdings for sale". Beef Central. Nascon Media Pty Ltd. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  60. "Soils for Life – Restoring the Gascoyne rangeland" (PDF). 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  61. "AJ and PA McBride Pty Ltd – Wilgena Station". 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
  62. "Avon and Austral Downs". Australian Agricultural Company. 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  63. "Canobie Station". Australian Agricultural Company. 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
  64. Jon Condon (24 May 2011). "Macquarie buys Buntine Assets". Beef Central. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  65. "Tanami Downs : "Mongrel" station has new future". Central Land Council. March 1993. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  66. "Auvergne Station". Consolidated Pastoral Company. 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  67. "Pest or resource?". Outback Magazine. May 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  68. "Acton Superbeef – Properties". Acton Land and Cattle Company. 2008. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  69. "Drysdale River Station History – North Kimberley". 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  70. "Banjawarn Station Leonora". 1 June 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  71. "Advertising.". Western Mail (Perth: National Library of Australia). 14 October 1920. p. 12. Retrieved 21 January 2013.
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