Cooya Pooya
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1860s |
| Headquarters | Roebourne (approximate) , Australia |
| Products | Sheep farming, wool production |
Cooya Pooya Station, also referred to as Cooya Pooya or Cooyapooya, operates as a pastoral lease functioning as a sheep station within Western Australia.
Description
Situated approximately south of Roebourne and southeast of Dampier, this station lies along the Harding River in the Pilbara area. The landscape encompasses expansive grassy plains alongside slopes covered with spinifex. The station’s name originates from Cooa Pooey, the Indigenous term for a nearby waterhole.
History
Pastoralists W. A. Taylor and Thomas Lockyer were the first to establish settlement in the mid-1860s. Taylor eventually divested his share, while Lockyer, who initially called the lease "Table Hill Station," expanded the enterprise considerably. By 1885, Lockyer and his sons oversaw a flock of 28,000 sheep producing 220 wool bales. Additional land along the Fortescue River was acquired, collectively covering about , partitioned into eight fenced paddocks. This combined property became known as "Cooya Pooya."
George Lockyer passed away at the station in 1893 after developing significant pastoral assets including Mulga Downs and Portland Stations. Following a drought in 1897, operations were temporarily suspended with livestock moved elsewhere.
Ownership transferred to Samuel L. Burges by 1911, who also controlled neighboring Springs Station. In 1912, the joint sheep numbers reached 22,000, yielding 340 wool bales. By 1915, Cooya Pooya and Mulga Downs together supported 35,000 sheep; that year also saw a management change after seven years under G. R. Turner.
Before 1925, the Stove brothers purchased Cooya Pooya, adding it to their holdings which included Mount Welcome and Cherritta stations. Early in 1925, a powerful cyclone inflicted widespread destruction on Cooya Pooya and other local properties.
By 1950, Percy Stove departed for southern regions, leaving his son Jack responsible for station management. In 1951, a fire in the storeroom caused an explosion involving gelignite that severely damaged buildings but resulted in no injuries.
The original homestead was placed on the heritage register in 1998 due to its importance in the area’s pastoral history. This single-storey stone construction features an iron roof and a separate kitchen building.