De Grey Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1862 |
| Headquarters | Near Port Hedland , Australia |
Area served | Pilbara region, Western Australia |
| Products | Sheep (historically), cattle |
De Grey Station is a pastoral lease situated approximately 80km east of Port Hedland along the De Grey River within Western Australia's Pilbara region. Originally functioning as a sheep station, it has since shifted its operations to cattle grazing.
Pardoo Station, which began in 1869 as an outstation of De Grey, covers an area exceeding 200,000 hectares. Its livestock includes sheep, breeding mares, camels, and a cattle herd numbering around 6,000.
History
Established in 1862, De Grey holds the distinction of being Western Australia's first pastoral lease. By 1875, ownership had passed to Samuel Peter Mackay, during whose absence on a Melbourne trip George Julius Brockman briefly assumed management duties.
In 1879, explorer Alexander Forrest launched his expedition from De Grey River Station, receiving assistance from Mr Anderson before proceeding overland to Condon.
By 1886, the property extended over nearly three million acres under the proprietorship of Grant, Anderson, and Edgar. They expanded the station by acquiring adjacent leases amid depressed wool market conditions. The station was divided into sixteen paddocks enclosed by approximately 200 miles of six-wire fencing designed to contain sheep, with water supplied through tanks fed by the De Grey River.
A severe cyclone struck in 1889, inflicting extensive damage including the destruction of buildings, loss of fencing infrastructure, and the death of more than 1,300 sheep.
In 1906, the station yielded around 700 bales of wool from a flock exceeding 43,000 sheep.
The Rubin family acquired the lease in 1912 for £100,000; at that time the flock consisted of 75,000 sheep. During World War I in 1914, wool from De Grey was utilized for British Expeditionary Force uniforms. By 1916, their holdings expanded to include Mulyie, Ettrick, and Warrawagine Stations. Major Harold de Vahl Rubin oversaw management from 1919 until 1965. The property transitioned to cattle production during the 1970s under David Rubin’s direction.
In 1928, MacRobertson's Round Australia Expedition visited De Grey twice while the station maintained approximately 30,000 sheep. The team was accommodated in the brick homestead and utilized on-site shearing facilities.
Since 2008, Atlas Iron has operated iron ore mining and export activities at the Pardoo site located about 10km south of the homestead. The mining lease occupies roughly 278 hectares within station boundaries.
In response to Parkinsonia invasion, station manager Mark Bettini reintroduced native Mitchell grass in place of buffel grass in 2006. Mitchell grass is better adapted to clay soils and offers similar nutritional value for cattle.
As of 2012, Bettini continued as lessee. De Grey Station functions under Crown Lease CL167-1980 and Land Act LA3114/1142.
See also
- List of ranches and stations
- List of pastoral leases in Western Australia
- List of the largest stations in Australia