Beltana Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1854 |
| Founder | John Haimes |
| Headquarters | Near Beltana, South Australia , Australia |
Area served | South Australia |
| Products | Sheep, camel breeding |
| Owner | Andrew Doman |
Beltana—also referred to as Beltana Station—is a pastoral lease functioning as a sheep station in South Australia. Founded in 1854, it extends across land situated between Lake Torrens and the Flinders Ranges, located roughly north of Adelaide.
History
The site was initially established by pastoralist John Haimes in 1854, with surveyor John McDouall Stuart conducting its mapping the following year, 1855. In 1862, ownership transferred to Robert Barr Smith, who acquired the property along with a flock numbering 17,705 sheep.
In that same year, Thomas Elder assumed control of lease number 370 and officially formed Beltana Station. By the early 1900s, the station supported a small community of around 60 inhabitants. Serving as the principal station for the Beltana Pastoral Co., it oversaw livestock operations and maintained a camel breeding program intended to aid work on the Australian Overland Telegraph Line stretching from Adelaide to Darwin. Additionally, the station provided accommodations for the "Afghan" cameleers responsible for managing the camels.
21st century
On 26 April 2013, the Government of South Australia formally designated the land covered by the Beltana pastoral lease as the locality named Beltana Station. The term "station" was appended to differentiate it from the nearby government town known as Beltana.
The property, encompassing 1,541 km², was sold at auction on 18 October 2017 for A$8.4 million to Andrew Doman, a South Australian pastoralist and proprietor of Yadlamalka Station. Beltana Station supports a livestock capacity of up to 8,500 head and includes features such as four-wheel-drive tracks and on-site accommodation. In 2018, Paul and Karen Ellis from Camel Treks Australia moved their business operations to Beltana Station.
As of 2018, Beltana Station spans approximately 1,574 km² between Lake Torrens and the Flinders Ranges, situated about 475 km north of Adelaide.
Heritage listing
The historic Beltana Station Homestead holds a place on the South Australian Heritage Register.