Ketchowla Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1852 |
| Founder | Christopher Giles |
| Headquarters | Pine Creek , Australia |
| Products | Sheep |
Ketchowla Station operates as a sheep station under a pastoral lease in the Mid North area of South Australia.
Situated within the boundaries of Pine Creek, the homestead is positioned approximately southeast of Terowie and northwest of Morgan. The estate features expansive plains alongside salt bush terrain, supported by a natural spring located in the Ketchowla range and multiple boreholes.
Among local properties, including Ketchowla, are some of the globe’s most ancient examples of rock art, estimated to be around 44,000 years old.
Founded in 1852 by Christopher Giles, who had arrived in South Australia three years earlier, Ketchowla was put up for auction in 1860 encompassing an area of , stocked with 3,700 sheep and equipped with two bores supplied by a spring. The homestead comprised seven rooms constructed from timber and stone, accompanied by a separate kitchen building, as well as a shearing shed, stockyards, and four additional huts. In 1861, Captain Hillary Boucart acquired a half-share of the station and formed a partnership with Giles. Alongside Alfred Giles, they managed roughly 17,000 sheep and invested over £10,000 in dams and other improvements. Nevertheless, severe drought conditions between 1864 and 1866 compelled them to significantly reduce their flock and ultimately sell the property.
The Austin Brothers became the next owners of Ketchowla but ended their partnership in 1873 while managing a stock of approximately 26,000 sheep. In 1874, a group of 7,000 sheep from Ketchowla was placed under quarantine due to detection of fluke infection during transit to market. Following the Austins' tenure, Thomas Elder took possession of the station.
In 1929, intense dust storms affected the region with winds powerful enough to push a truck into a tree. By February 1950, Ketchowla recorded nearly unprecedented rainfall exceeding .