Belele Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1880s |
| Founder | Frank Wittenoom |
| Headquarters | Murchison area, Western Australia , Australia |
| Products | Wool, cattle, sheep |
Belele Station is a pastoral lease situated in Western Australia, functioning as both a cattle station and sheep station with a focus on wool production.
Description
Positioned within the Murchison area, roughly northwest of Meekatharra, this station spans , encompassing nature reserves and unallocated crown land. The terrain exhibits minimal erosion, with 95% classified as none or slight, while perennial vegetation is generally fair, though 40% is rated poor or very poor. The property’s estimated summer carrying capacity supports approximately 16,500 sheep.
History
Belele Station was founded in the early 1880s by Frank Wittenoom, who also established Nookawarra and Mileura. In 1888, ownership transferred to Ernest Augustus Lee Steere and his associates. Lee Steere transformed the largely undeveloped land into a fully operational enterprise managing both cattle and sheep over . Following drought conditions, he diversified revenue streams by investing in mail transportation services, a butcher’s shop, and a general store located in nearby communities.
In 1895, seven Aboriginal men faced charges of murder and cannibalism at Belele; the matter proceeded to trial in Perth after two individuals testified for the prosecution.
The station encountered severe flooding in 1900 when heavy rainfall caused the Murchison River to breach its banks. Lee Steere further expanded his landholdings to , including purchasing adjacent Annean Station.
By 1913, although drought had impacted the region, grazing conditions improved but livestock numbers remained reduced. In 1917, bush poet Alf "The Axeman" Wallace honored Belele in his poem "The Soldier from Belele."
In 1923, the station’s bookkeeper tragically drowned in a well on-site. Flooding in 1926 led to isolation and the loss of more than 500 sheep. Another drought occurred in 1949, resulting in the relocation of sheep for agistment near Toodyay during 1950.
In 1951, Richard Butler Dobbyn, a long-term resident of the property, disappeared. Despite extensive searches including aerial reconnaissance, he was never located. Dobbyn had received land from the Lee Steere family after ending his employment with them in the 1940s.