Inverway Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cattle station |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Victoria River region, Northern Territory |
| Products | Brahman cattle |
Inverway Station operates as a cattle station under a pastoral lease in Australia's Northern Territory.
Location
Situated roughly northwest of Lajamanu and southwest of Daguragu, Inverway lies within the Victoria River region. Originally part of a larger estate, the property was eventually divided into Inverway, Bunda, and Riveren Stations. Its neighboring properties include Bunda to the west, Riveren on the eastern side, Limbunya to the north, and Birrindudu Station bordering the south.
Description
Encompassing an area of , Inverway sustains a herd numbering approximately 17,000 Brahman cattle. The landscape features black soil plains with pastures dominated by Mitchell grass, Queensland blue grass, and silky brown top grasses. In contrast, regions with red soil are covered by spinifex vegetation.
History
The lease was first explored by Nat Buchanan along with his son Gordon. In 1894, the Farquharson brothers—Archie, Harry, and Hugh—acquired the property and introduced cattle by overlanding them from Inverell. Despite facing severe drought conditions by 1905, they managed a cattle drive of over 1,000 head along the arid Murranji Track in 1909, incurring minimal losses.
Ownership remained with the Farquharson family until the 1940s. Archie Farquharson sold a large section in 1946 but stayed on the station until his passing in 1950. The Westaway family took ownership in 1956 and later listed Inverway for sale in 2007. That same year, the Underwood family purchased it at auction for 17.65 million.
In 2013, Mick and Georgia Underwood sold both Inverway and Riveren Stations to Indonesian firm Japfa Santori for an estimated 35 million. This sale occurred following the live export ban implemented by the Gillard government in 2011, which had affected market dynamics. The station had previously been passed in at auction for 15 million in 2012.