Bulloo Downs Station (Western Australia)
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cattle station |
| Headquarters | Mid West region , Australia |
| Products | Cattle |
Bulloo Downs Station operates as a pastoral lease functioning as a cattle station.
Location
Situated roughly south of Newman and north of Meekatharra within the Mid West region of Western Australia, the homestead is positioned about west of the Great Northern Highway. Bulloo Downs shares its borders with Mount Vernon, Sylvania, Prairie Downs, Weelarrana, and Tangadee Stations, along with adjacent vacant crown land.
Description
The property encompasses a section of the Ashburton River and features rolling slate and basalt landscapes that support indigenous grasses, open plains with salt bush and blue bush, as well as clusters of mulga. In 1980, the station extended over , carrying a herd of 3,100 cattle, although its advised stocking capacity was 2,590.
History
In 1928, proprietors Messrs J. and L. Smith—who also owned Ethel Creek, Bolinda, and Illgarrarie Stations—put Bulloo Downs up for auction. At that time, it covered an area of and was stocked with 3,000 cattle. The infrastructure included a five-room homestead, a store, workers’ accommodations, a stable, one outcamp, and ten stockyards. Water sources were derived from river pools and 29 wells fitted with mills and troughs.
Following the 1929 auction where the property remained unsold, it was re-advertised without success in 1940; the Smith family maintained possession at least until 1944. In 1951, they relinquished a portion of the land. The subsequent year saw an area from Bulloo Downs and Weelarrana Stations offered for lease by the Department of Lands and Surveys.
By 1957, reports indicated approximately 20,000 feral donkeys inhabited Bulloo Downs along with neighboring Prairie Downs Stations.