Blanchewater Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cattle station |
| Founded | 1858 |
| Founder | John Baker |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Northern South Australia |
Blanchewater Station functions as a pastoral lease and operates as a cattle station situated in the remote northern region of South Australia.
Description
Positioned roughly northeast of Lyndhurst and southwest of Innamincka, the estate is intersected by the MacDonnell River, which ultimately feeds into Lake Blanche. To the east lies a notable waterhole on Mount Hopeless Creek, historically utilized as an outstation. Additionally, the Strzelecki Creek passes through the property, stretching southward toward the northern Flinders Ranges.
The first European to explore the area was Benjamin Babbage in 1856; he named it in honor of Governor McDonnell’s wife. The region was surveyed by George Goyder in 1857, and shortly after, John Baker obtained a lease in 1858 and introduced cattle to the land.
In the same year, the expedition led by Augustus Charles Gregory reached Blanchewater after traveling from the northeast along Strzelecki Creek—a route that subsequently became recognized as an important corridor linking the Pacific Ocean with the Southern Ocean through Australia's interior.
A remarkable event involved Harry Redford and his associates, who stole between 600 and 1,000 cattle from Bowen Downs Station in Queensland. They drove the herd approximately down Cooper Creek to Blanchewater over a period exceeding three months, eventually selling the livestock for £5,000. Redford was later apprehended following pursuit by station personnel.
Following John Baker’s passing in 1872, his holdings—including Blanchewater stocked with 1,000 horses and 2,500 cattle—were sold to E. M. Bagot. This transaction encompassed five other Baker estates such as Wirrabunna and Peninsula, amounting to £130,000 in total.
By 1874, ownership had passed into the hands of Thomas Elder.