Karbar Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | before 1899 |
| Headquarters | Mid West region , Australia |
| Products | Cattle, previously sheep and wool |
Karbar, also known as Karbar Station, is a pastoral lease functioning as a cattle station and was previously operated as a sheep station. It is situated approximately north of Cue and southwest of Meekatharra within the Mid West region of Western Australia. The former settlement of Tuckanarra lies inside the station's boundaries. Covering an area of , the property includes frontage along both the Great Northern Highway and the Jungar River with its tributaries.
The station is equipped with several shallow wells and bores, while creek systems nourish floodout areas abundant in mulga shrubland and perennial grasses such as buffel. Its maximum stocking capacity is estimated at around 8,050 sheep. The homestead, which once operated as the Tuckanarra hotel, along with shearers' quarters, has been refurbished to offer tourist accommodations comprising 15 rooms, including five bedrooms.
Karbar was established prior to 1899 and was then offered for sale together with New Forrest Station; combined, these properties covered and supported a livestock population of 3,200 sheep, 100 cattle, and 40 horses. The facilities at that time included a six-room homestead, woolshed, yards, and fencing.
In 1918, Ben Copley became the owner of Karbar. By 1920, he was moving cattle overland from his Kimberley property, Mount Barnett Station, covering roughly to Karbar for agistment before selling them at market. James Hicks acquired the station in 1923 and shifted its focus towards sheep grazing and wool production. Following Hicks' death in 1944, ownership transferred to his three children after a ruling by the Supreme Court. The Hicks family managed Karbar through the early 1950s, maintaining a reputation for producing high-quality wool. Soon after, the Snell family took ownership of the property.
In January 2011, Hyperion Energy, under the leadership of Dallas Dempster, purchased Karbar with intentions to develop a solar updraft tower approximately tall on the site at an estimated investment of AUD 1.6 billion. Since acquiring the station, the company has initiated modifications to the infrastructure to support cattle operations.