Ivanhoe Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cattle station |
| Founded | 1893 |
| Founder | Patrick Durack, Michael Durack |
| Headquarters | Kununurra , Australia |
Area served | Kimberley region, Western Australia |
| Products | Cattle |
| Owner | Consolidated Pastoral Company |
Ivanhoe, also known as Ivanhoe Station, is a pastoral lease functioning as a cattle station situated just north of Kununurra within the Kimberley area of Western Australia. The Durack brothers established the station in 1893, and it is presently under the ownership of the Consolidated Pastoral Company.
Description
Spanning approximately along the course of the Ord River from Lake Argyle to Cambridge Gulf, Ivanhoe Station covers an area close to . Its terrain consists of alluvial flats and black soil plains that are highly suitable for grazing, supporting grasses such as couch and buffel.
The land on which Ivanhoe sits is traditionally owned by the Gajirrawoong and Miriwung peoples, whose native title rights were formally acknowledged by the Federal Court of Australia in 2006.
Together with adjacent Carlton Hills, Ivanhoe sustains a cattle population nearing 50,000 head, including roughly 18,000 Brahman breeding cows. The station annually produces about 9,000 steers destined for live export markets across Asia and the Middle East.
History
Ivanhoe Station was founded in 1893 by Patrick and Michael Durack, contributing significantly to early agricultural expansion in the Kimberley region. Kimberley Durack conducted experimental cultivation of cash crops on the station’s fertile floodplains, playing a key role in establishing the Ord River Scheme. From 1941 to 1945, an experimental farm operated at Ivanhoe, followed by the establishment of a joint Commonwealth-State Research Station. Over a period of twelve years, various crops including rice, linseed, and cane sugar were trialed.
The town of Kununurra was developed in 1961 on land reclaimed from Ivanhoe Station to facilitate the Ord River Irrigation Area, following initial surveys undertaken in 1959.
Constructed in 1954 to provide a crossing over the Ord River, Ivanhoe Crossing gained wider recognition after featuring in the film Australia. It is located near the original homestead and distinctive sandstone formations referred to as the "City of Ruins".
The traditional custodians of this land are the Miriuwung and Gajirrawoong peoples. Historically, these Aboriginal communities supplied much of the workforce for the station under often difficult conditions and were frequently uncompensated until the introduction of the Pastoral Award in 1968. In 1961, approximately ninety Aboriginal residents lived on-site within three huts.