Boolardy
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture, Radio astronomy |
| Founded | 1873 |
| Headquarters | Mid West, Western Australia , Australia |
Area served | Western Australia's Mid West (Murchison) area |
| Products | Sheep and cattle (historically) |
| Owner | Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) (since 2009) |
Boolardy Station is a secluded, formerly operational sheep and cattle station situated in Western Australia's Mid West (Murchison) area, approximately north-north-east of Pindar and west-south-west of Meekatharra. It falls under the jurisdiction of the Shire of Murchison and occupies pastoral lease no. 3114/406 (Crown lease 146/1966), encompassing an expanse of .
In 2009, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) purchased Boolardy Station for AUD 5.42 million with the intent to develop the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory. Prior to this acquisition, the property was managed as a cattle station until roughly 2014.
Description
The station includes an area of designated as reserves and crown land. A report from 2011 indicated minimal soil erosion, rating 87% of the terrain as either nil or minor erosion. The state of perennial vegetation was assessed as fair, although 39% exhibited poor to very poor coverage.
Boolardy was recognized as a prominent pastoral holding within the Murchison district, with Boolardy Homestead historically serving as the office for the Murchison Road Board over an extended period. The western perimeter of the station borders Wooleen Station. In 1985, its stone structures received classification by the National Trust of Western Australia.
History
In 1854, explorers Robert Austin and Kenneth Brown surveyed the area, documenting fertile grassy plains and Ngatta water hole located about south of the homestead. However, commercial interest did not materialize until 1873 when John Perks and Edward Wittenoom sought sheep grazing territory north of this water source.
Perks and Wittenoom secured the original lease and transported cattle and sheep overland in 1876. Due to insufficient horse fodder at Nookawarra, they relocated operations to Boolardy. The lease subsequently involved members from pioneering families including Edward and Frank Wittenoom and Langlois Lefroy.
The station extensively employed Aboriginal workers. In 1896, station management faced manslaughter accusations following the death of an Aboriginal laborer due to alleged mistreatment; however, they were ultimately found not guilty.
By 1912, Boolardy anticipated shearing approximately 25,000 sheep utilizing 16 shearing stands. The station consistently yielded high-grade wool; notably, at a Perth sale in 1927, a small batch of super combing wool from Boolardy achieved the highest price at 28½d per pound.
In 1945, severe flooding occurred when of rain fell within a single day, resulting in over of fencing being destroyed. Floodwaters from the Murchison River and Gascoyne River inundated sections of Boolardy in 2010, necessitating emergency helicopter welfare checks.
Drought conditions dominated during 2012–2013, leading to dust storms and diminished feed supplies. Owners Mark and Carolyn Halleen vacated the property between 2013 and 2015.
Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory
CSIRO acquired Boolardy Station in 2009 for , intending to establish the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO), while allowing previous owners to continue cattle grazing briefly. The site now accommodates two principal radio telescope initiatives: the Murchison Widefield Array and the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder, both serving as forerunners to the dual-site Square Kilometre Array (SKA). The other SKA location is situated in South Africa’s Northern Cape Province, within the Karoo region.