Diamantina Lakes Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cattle station |
| Founded | 1876 |
| Founder | John Arthur Macartney and Hugh Louis Heber-Percy |
| Fate | Converted into Diamantina National Park |
| Headquarters | Central western Queensland , Australia |
Area served | Channel Country, Queensland |
Diamantina Lakes Station, often referred to simply as Diamantina Lakes, was a pastoral lease functioning as a cattle station situated in central western Queensland. This area has since been converted into what is now known as Diamantina National Park.
Positioned roughly southeast of Boulia and northwest of Windorah within Queensland's Channel Country, the station encompassed a variety of terrains including sandstone mesas, gibber plains, sand dunes, claypans, and river channels. The Diamantina River nourishes extensive grasslands and almost permanent waterholes, which are sustained by seasonal rainfall and the influence of the Great Artesian Basin.
The land is traditionally owned by the Maiawali and Karuwali peoples, who hold a deep spiritual relationship with this region.
History
The station was founded in 1876 through a collaboration between John Arthur Macartney and Hugh Louis Heber-Percy, with Heber-Percy overseeing management for many years. By 1881, the property was offered at auction stocked with 5,000 head of cattle. It occupied an area of , boasting considerable frontage along the Diamantina River, Mayne River, and Spring Creek.
In 1908, the notable pastoralist Sidney Kidman purchased Diamantina Lakes for A£25,000, including its livestock. At that time, the station covered , and was acquired together with nearby Mount Poole Station and Innamincka Station in South Australia. To fund this purchase, Kidman sold Victoria Downs in the Northern Territory as well as Carlton Hill Station in Western Australia.
A severe drought between 1914 and 1916 resulted in losses of around 10,000 cattle at Diamantina Lakes alone and more than 75,000 across Kidman’s Channel Country properties such as Glengyle, Durham Downs, Innamincka, and Sandringham Stations. These hardships compelled Kidman to dispose of Diamantina Lakes in 1918.
Following this sale, ownership passed to George Hooper and E. A. Trenenny, who eventually transferred it to the Queensland Government. They also briefly held Davenport Downs Station but were forced to relinquish it due to financial constraints.
By 1927, the government sold the unstocked property to a newly established company for A£10,000.
In 1992, the Queensland Government reacquired this land—capable of supporting up to 12,000 cattle—and officially designated it as Diamantina National Park. Numerous historic stock routes continue to operate within the park boundaries.