Alexandria Station (Northern Territory)
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cattle farming |
| Founded | before 1877 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Northern Territory |
| Products | Cattle (Brahman, Belmont, Charbray breeds), hay |
| Owner | North Australian Pastoral Company |
Number of employees | 50 |
Alexandria Station operates as a cattle pastoral lease and holds the distinction of being the largest pastoral estate in the Northern Territory, ranking third in size across Australia after Anna Creek station and Clifton Hills Station.
Location
Situated approximately northwest of Camooweal and eastward from Tennant Creek within the Northern Territory, Alexandria shares its western boundaries with Alroy Downs and Brunette Downs Station. To the north lie Mittiebah and Mount Drummond Stations, while to the south are West Ranken, East Ranken, Adder, and Rocklands Stations. The eastern edge aligns with the Queensland border. The property is traversed by several seasonal waterways such as the Buchanan River, Ranken River, and Buchanan Creek. Additionally, the South Barkly Stock Route crosses through its southwestern corner.
Description
Spanning an area of open plains, floodplains, and wooded sandhills across the Barkly Tableland, Alexandria was established prior to 1877. It is one of fifteen holdings under the ownership of the North Australian Pastoral Company (NAPCo), which has maintained possession since 1877, making it both NAPCo’s oldest and largest station. The Mitchell grass-covered plains sustain a cattle herd numbering around 55,000 head and yield roughly 10,000 bales of hay annually to support operations across the company’s properties. Alexandria shares a boundary with Mittiebah Station, another asset within NAPCo’s portfolio.
Approximately 50 employees reside on-site at Alexandria, with the primary homestead positioned near the Playford River. Operational support is provided by two outstations: Soudan along the Rankin River and Gallipoli located on the eastern lease boundary.
Initially stocked with Shorthorn cattle, Alexandria transitioned in 1982 to Brahman breeds better adapted to local climatic conditions and tick infestations. The current herd also includes Belmont and Charbray breeds.
History
The Waanyi—also referred to as Wanyi, Wanyee, Wanee, Waangyee, Wonyee, Garawa, and Wanji—is an Aboriginal language native to the Gulf Country region. Its traditional area encompasses western sections of Lawn Hill Creek and the Nicholson River, near the border between Northern Territory and Queensland, extending westward towards Alexandria Station and Doomadgee. This language region includes the jurisdiction of the Aboriginal Shire of Doomadgee.
In 1885, an incident occurred at Alexandria involving a station hand named Ross who was killed by an assailant reportedly wielding an axe from a nearby Aboriginal camp. That same year saw the death of John Corbett due to injuries from an accidental dynamite explosion while deepening a well.
The area experienced severe flooding during the monsoon season of 1895 when Alexandria recorded 17 inches of rainfall in January alone. In April 1901, it received its highest rainfall since 1894 with another 17 inches falling over four days. However, this was followed by drought conditions in 1902 that caused water bores drilled to depths of 400 feet to dry up.
In 1907, prominent cattle owner Sidney Kidman declared intentions to buy all male cattle produced at Alexandria over a three-year period, expecting between 9,000 and 10,000 head. An outbreak of red-water disease in 1918 resulted in quarantines restricting cattle movement within a ten-square-mile radius near Borrodo waterhole.
By 1923, Alexandria encompassed roughly 10,500 square miles, ranking it as the second-largest property in the Northern Territory, following Victoria River Downs at 13,100 square miles.
Flooding continued to pose challenges; during the wet season of 1939 more than six inches fell within two days. At that time, lacking a boat meant passengers arriving by plane had to be ferried across rivers using improvised vessels.
Peter Sherwin began his career at Alexandria as a jackaroo in 1946 before eventually acquiring several major stations including Victoria River Downs in 1986.
Drought persisted through much of 1952 until heavy rains in May brought relief. By then Alexandria covered approximately 11,000 square miles and was regarded as one of northern Australia’s most well-developed stations.
In 1955, Alexandria along with surrounding stations was targeted by a significant post-war cattle theft ring. After extensive tracking efforts uncovered stolen livestock concealed nearby, a special court convened at Alexandria to prosecute those responsible.
Severe flooding in both 2009 and 2012 transformed large portions of Alexandria Station into inland seas, causing substantial disruption to its operations.