Deep Well Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cattle station |
| Founded | Late 1880s |
| Founder | William Hayes and Mary Hayes |
| Headquarters | Near Alice Springs , Australia |
Area served | Northern Territory |
| Owner | Hayes family |
Deep Well Station operates as a cattle station under a pastoral lease in Australia's Northern Territory.
Description
Positioned approximately south-southeast of Alice Springs and eastward from the Stuart Highway, Deep Well is nestled between the MacDonnell Ranges and the Simpson Desert, covering a significant portion of the Ooraminna Ranges. The landscape includes a variety of features such as red sand dunes, rocky formations, and expansive spinifex plains. The property lies just to the east of the former route of the Central Australia Railway, which once had a station named Deep Well.
History
In 1884, William Hayes and his wife Mary arrived in Alice Springs, initially engaged in replacing telegraph poles for the Overland Telegraph. Before founding Deep Well in the late 1880s, they gained experience working on nearby stations including Mount Burrell and Owen Springs Station. The Hayes family has continuously owned Deep Well since its establishment. Billy Hayes, representing the fifth generation, was honored with induction into the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame in 2009 and was immortalized in Murray Hartin’s bush poem Turbulence.
Between 1964 and 1965, a severe drought compelled Ted Hayes to relocate all livestock to Undoolya Station, temporarily ceasing operations at Deep Well. Aboriginal employees also moved to Undoolya during this difficult time.
During the early 1990s, confronted with drought conditions and substantial financial burdens while managing roughly 5,000 cattle, the family expanded into tourism by constructing a lodge at Ooraminna. Ted Egan later suggested building a film set there for an adaptation of his song The Drover's Boy. Although the movie never materialized, replica buildings modeled after those from 1921 Newcastle Waters have been preserved as tourist accommodations.
A prolonged drought starting in 2002 caused water shortages that led Billy Hayes to remove livestock from Deep Well by 2006.
Billy Hayes tragically died in a quad bike accident on the property in 2011. After his passing, Jan Hayes put Deep Well up for sale in 2013 while their son, Billy Hayes Junior, continued managing the station. As of 2014, the property was still listed on the market.
In 2016, Billy Hayes Junior lost his life in an aircraft accident during mustering activities at New Crown Station.