Elderslie Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1873 |
| Headquarters | Winton (nearby) , Australia |
Area served | Central West Queensland |
| Products | Sheep, cattle |
Elderslie Station, commonly referred to simply as Elderslie, is a pastoral lease functioning as both a sheep and cattle station situated in Queensland, Australia.
Description
Positioned roughly west of Winton and east of Middleton within Central West Queensland, Elderslie lies in the heart of the Channel Country. The property is traversed from north to south by the Diamantina River, while its northeastern section benefits from the waters of Wokingham Creek. The landscape predominantly consists of open plains covered with Mitchell grass, interspersed with woodlands featuring gidgee, coolibah, and boree. This terrain is punctuated by Mount Booka Booka and adjacent hills. Historically, Elderslie shared a boundary with Oondooroo station.
Located at the eastern margin of a crustal anomaly approximately 130 km wide—identified by Geoscience Australia—the area is believed to have been shaped by an asteroid impact dating back around 300 million years.
History
The region was first explored in 1862 by John McKinlay during his search for the missing Burke and Wills expedition, followed by William Landsborough’s expedition in 1866. Both explorers noted the presence of abundant seasonal grasses but observed limited availability of surface water.
In 1873, William Forsayth established a pastoral run named Doveridge, composed of three blocks totaling along the Diamantina and Western Rivers. Sheep were introduced mid-1874. Later that year, Forsayth transferred the lease to Donald Wallace, a pastoralist from Victoria, who expanded the property to , encompassing lands stretching from Winton to Middleton Creek. By 1881, stone homestead buildings and additional structures had been erected.
Prior to 1878, Sir Samuel Wilson took ownership of Elderslie. By 1887, the station covered , supporting a stock of 40,000 sheep, 13,000 cattle, and 250 horses, complemented by extensive fencing and river frontage. Sheep numbers increased to 70,000 with cattle reaching 20,000 by 1891; however, that year saw the destruction of the woolshed due to fire.
It is reported that Banjo Paterson was employed at Elderslie around 1895 as either a jackeroo or storekeeper while composing "Waltzing Matilda" nearby at Dagworth Station.
Following Wilson’s passing, ownership transferred in 1896 to the Ramsay brothers. By 1912, Elderslie encompassed , carrying approximately 112,000 sheep when it was sold for £110,000 to C. J. Brabazon. Brabazon invested in substantial infrastructure upgrades and employed roughly 100 workers during this period.
In 1921, Qantas conducted its inaugural commercial flight transporting Brabazon from Elderslie to Austral Downs, another property under his ownership.
The Queensland Stock and Breeders Company divested Elderslie in 1924 to the Australian Estates and Mortgage Company, which already possessed significant holdings in Queensland. At this time, Elderslie extended over and maintained a flock of 80,000 sheep along with all necessary plant and equipment.
By 1933, the station measured , staffed by about 36 workers. The region experienced severe flooding in 1940.
In 1950, Australian Estates subdivided Elderslie into seven separate grazing properties through ballot selection. The remaining Elderslie leasehold of was purchased by John Dixon before being sold in 1954 to Keith Watts for five shillings per acre. Watts undertook repairs on the homestead that later received recognition from the National Trust of Australia. In 1955, a drover tragically drowned attempting to cross the flooded Workingham Creek. Further storm damage during the 1980s impacted several station buildings.
Elderslie Homestead was officially added to the Queensland Heritage Register in October 1992.
As of 2011, ownership remained with the Watts family who managed a flock numbering about 5,300 sheep alongside approximately 800 cattle.