Minilya Station Explained

-23.85°N 113.971°WMinilya Station, most often referred to as Minilya, is a pastoral lease currently operating as a cattle station that once operated as a sheep station in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia.

The property is situated approximately 80km (50miles) south of Coral Bay and 119km (74miles) north of Carnarvon.

History

Charles Brockman advertised to sell Minilya in 1882 when it had an area of 380000acres. Stocked with 4,000 sheep, 40 cattle and horses the run was described as open grassy country with areas of saltbush and milkbush country. A large portion was well timbered and the run was well watered by clay pans, natural springs and North Brook. An estimated 70000acres of Minilya is situated along the coast and is bordered by Warroora Station.[1] The entire property was estimated to have a carrying capacity of 70,000 sheep.[2]

Minilya later was passed onto Brockman's brother, Julius,[3] who put on the market in 1894. At this time Minilya encompassed an area of 200000acres and was stocked with 22,000 sheep and 50 horses. Minilya was divided into eight main paddocks which were mostly fenced and watered by tanks, wells and dams. A substantial five-bedroom homestead had been built along with outbuildings including a kitchen, stables, store, dairy and meat house. A new iron shearing shed along with a Farrer wool press, holding yards for 10,000 sheep and accommodation for 25 shearers were also included.[4] It was later acquired by pastoralist and politician Donald Norman McLeod in 1899.[5] By 1911 McLeod had a flock of 42,684 sheep running at Minilya and shearing produced 954 bales of wool.[6]

McLeod died in 1914 and he property was left to his second son, Guy McLeod.[7] Heavy rain during two months in 1918 (the property recorded 7.58inches) caused the Minilya River to flood, isolating the homestead.[8]

In 1925 over 58,724 sheep were shorn at Minilya.[9] The property had grown in size and in 1925 occupied an area of 750000acres.[7] Lady Moulden from Adelaide bought a one third share of Minilya in 1933 for £22,000. The other partners were J. F. McLeod and D. G. McLeod, both of whom each had a third share. The property encompassed an area of 700000acres in 1933 and had 60miles of reticulation pipe laid down and was supporting a flock of 54,000 sheep.[10] Following a period of drought about 10,000 sheep were sold off from the property and in 1937 a flock of 27,991 produced 768 bales of wool.[11] A total of 830 bales of wool were produced in 1940 from the 33,511 sheep that were shorn.[12]

The property supported a flock of about 33,000 sheep in 1954 and occupied an area of just under 700000acres.[13]

In 2010 Minilya was owned by WR Carpenter Agriculture Pty Ltd, Ric Stowe's cattle business, and occupied an area of 275000ha. A herd of Angus and Wagyu cattle all destined for the Asian market are run on the property.[14] The property was acquired by Andrew Forrest in 2015 along with Brick House Station for an estimated A$10 million.[15]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Warroora Station sold . . Perth . 17 December 1922 . 28 September 2013 . 7 . National Library of Australia . 3 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220803094012/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/58037649 . live .
  2. News: Classified Advertising. . . Perth . 25 August 1882 . 24 September 2013 . 2 . National Library of Australia . 3 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220803094013/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2987393 . live .
  3. News: Mr. D. N. McLeod's Minilya Station, Carnarvon. . . Victoria . 9 January 1907 . 26 September 2013 . 3 . National Library of Australia . 3 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220803094023/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/63964159 . live .
  4. News: Advertising. . . Perth . 13 January 1894 . 30 September 2013 . 49 . National Library of Australia . 3 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220803094013/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/33099956 . live .
  5. Web site: McLeod, Donald Norman (1848–1914) . L. Lomas . 2010 . 24 September 2013 . Australian Dictionary of Biography . . 27 September 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130927134717/http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcleod-donald-norman-7417 . live .
  6. News: Minilya Station, Carnrvon. . . Perth . 14 January 1911 . 25 September 2013 . 7 . National Library of Australia . 3 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220803094012/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/38360630 . live .
  7. News: The North-West . . Perth . 17 August 1925 . 25 September 2013 . 10 . National Library of Australia . 3 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220803094013/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/31874832 . live .
  8. News: Minilya Station . . Carnarvon, Western Australia . 9 March 1918 . 25 September 2013 . 5 . National Library of Australia . 3 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220803094015/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/75539189 . live .
  9. News: Pastoral Pars . . Perth, Western Australia . 22 November 1925 . 20 December 2015 . 8 Section: Second Section . National Library of Australia . 3 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220803094016/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/58230531 . live .
  10. News: Minilya Station . . Perth . 27 January 1933 . 26 September 2013 . 18 . National Library of Australia . 3 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220803094027/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/32570019 . live .
  11. News: Minilya Station Shearing. . . Carnarvon, Western Australia . 14 August 1937 . 25 September 2013 . 1 . National Library of Australia . 3 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220803094015/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/75121711 . live .
  12. News: Minilya Shearing. . . Carnarvon, Western Australia . 15 August 1940 . 28 September 2013 . 1 . National Library of Australia . 3 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220803094016/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/74940025 . live .
  13. News: In the Gascoyne and Murchison. . . Perth . 23 December 1954 . 26 September 2013 . 75 . National Library of Australia . 3 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220803094028/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/39369593 . live .
  14. Web site: Dreams turn to dust out west . 27 May 2010 . 24 September 2013 . . 5 November 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131105071431/http://www.smh.com.au/business/dreams-turn-to-dust-out-west-20100526-we8y.html . live .
  15. Web site: Forrest adds cattle stations in big cattle drive . Brad Thompson . 6 August 2015 . 2 October 2015 . The West Australian . . 4 October 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151004113904/https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/countryman/a/29193245/forrest-adds-cattle-stations-in-big-cattle-drive/ . live .

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