Anna Creek Station
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cattle station |
| Founded | 1863 |
| Headquarters | William Creek , Australia |
Area served | South Australia |
Key people | Williams family (owners) |
| Products | Santa Gertrudis cattle |
Number of employees | 8 (2008) |
| Parent | Williams Cattle Company (since 2016) |
Anna Creek Station holds the distinction of being the largest operational cattle station worldwide, situated in South Australia.
Description
Spanning , Anna Creek Station surpasses its closest rival, Alexandria Station, in size and is more than seven times larger than the United States' biggest ranch, Texas' King Ranch, which covers .
This station functions on dry pastoral terrain. Since 16 December 2016, ownership has belonged to the Williams Cattle Company, a family-run enterprise that doubled its pastoral lease portfolio by purchasing Anna Creek from S. Kidman & Co. The nearest community is William Creek, which lies within the boundaries of the station, while freight logistics are mainly handled via Coober Pedy.
History
Founded in 1863 and moved to its present location in 1872, Anna Creek initially raised sheep but later switched to cattle due to predation by dingoes.
On 26 April 2013, the South Australian government formally recognized the entire pastoral lease area as the locality named 'Anna Creek'.
Anna Creek in the 2000s
Despite its immense area, Anna Creek Station supported only 1,500 cattle in 2007 because of the drought during the 2000s. In 2008, under ownership of S. Kidman and Co Ltd, it employed eight full-time workers and was actively reducing cattle numbers. Following flooding events after 2010 that improved pasture conditions, restocking increased to 10,000 head by May 2011, with a carrying capacity of up to 16,500 cattle in favorable seasons. The station breeds Santa Gertrudis cattle, a breed adapted to arid and hot environments.
| Date | Cattle | Staff |
|---|---|---|
| September 2002 | 16,000 | ? |
| May 2003 | 16,500 | 19 |
| July 2005 | 13,000 | ? |
| November 2006 | 4,000 | ? |
| June 2008 | 1,500 | 8 |
| May 2011 | 11,000 | ? |
| August 2012 | 17,000 | 17 |
In April 2016, the South Australian Williams Cattle Company declared its intention to purchase Anna Creek from S Kidman & Co, subject to approval by the Foreign Investment Review Board. Nevertheless, Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison intervened to block the transaction citing national security concerns because Anna Creek lies within a weapons testing zone. Morrison had previously prevented a similar sale involving Kidman to Pengxin Group.
By December 2016, ownership transferred to Williams Cattle Company for an estimated $16 million. Concurrently, the remaining assets of the Kidman group were acquired by a consortium led by mining entrepreneur Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting (holding a 67% stake) alongside Chinese company Shanghai CRED (33%). The Williams family announced plans for substantial investments in water infrastructure and trucking facilities aimed at boosting stocking rates.
Life at Anna Creek
The station includes a principal homestead along with an outstation located at The Peake. Despite their remoteness, both sites are equipped with satellite communication systems providing television and internet access. Mail delivery occurs twice weekly via the Coober Pedy Oodnadatta One Day Mail Run, which also carries limited freight. The ruins at The Peake—comprising an old telegraph office, cemetery, mining site, and lime kilns—are listed on the South Australian Heritage Register, as are the remains of the Strangways Springs Telegraph Station found on the property.
Historically, Anna Creek employed numerous stockmen who rounded up cattle on horseback. In modern times, aerial spotting using light aircraft assists livestock management while stockmen rely on motorbikes for mustering tasks, significantly lowering labor demands.