Alroy Downs
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cattle station |
| Founded | 1877 |
| Founder | W. Lamb |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Northern Territory |
| Products | Cattle |
Alroy Downs Station operates as a cattle station under a pastoral lease in the Northern Territory.
Location
Positioned approximately east of Tennant Creek and west of Camooweal, Queensland, the property is located on the Barkly Tableland. It encompasses sections of both the Playford River and Buchanan Creek. Its boundaries adjoin Brunette Downs Station to the north, Rockhampton Downs to the west, Dalmore Downs to the south, and Alexandria Station on the eastern side. The Tablelands Highway traverses the station.
Description
The landscape consists mainly of clay plains that support stands of Mitchell grasses along with other annual varieties. The southern part features lateritic red soils typical of outback regions. In contrast, the northern area includes drainage lines, swamplands dominated by Coolibah, and patches of bluebush. The station spans an area close to .
History
Alroy Downs was founded in 1878 by W. Lamb on traditional lands belonging to the Yindjilandji people, with its initial lease granted in 1877. J. C. Schmidt acquired the property in 1914 and appointed F. Story as its manager; later, Schmidt’s son Rudolf took over management from 1934 until 1936. Ownership remained within the Schmidt family for decades, with Trevor Schmidt holding the position of managing director at the Australian Agricultural Company between 1974 and 1988.
In 1984, ownership transferred to the Stanbroke Pastoral Company. During Stanbroke’s divestment in 2004, Peter Sherwin purchased Alroy Downs for AUD30 million and subsequently sold it in 2008 for AUD70 million despite ongoing drought conditions. The new owner at that time was Sterling Buntine.