Kimberley Downs
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cattle station |
| Founded | Early 1880s |
| Headquarters | Near Derby , Australia |
Area served | Western Australia |
| Products | Cattle |
Kimberley Downs Station, often referred to simply as Kimberley Downs, is a pastoral lease functioning as a cattle station located in Western Australia.
Location
Situated roughly east of Derby and northwest of the Junjuwa community, Kimberley Downs is reachable via the Gibb River Road. The property is traversed by the Lennard River and shares boundaries with Meda Station. The terrain consists predominantly of black soil plains characterized by high levels of cracking black clay, supporting native grasses such as bundle bundle, ribbon, Flinders, and feathertop wiregrass, along with areas of open woodland.
History
Kimberley Downs was initially established in the early 1880s and underwent expansion in 1900 when M. C. Davies, who owned nearby Balmaningarra Station, purchased Lennard River Station along with a portion of Lillimilura Station to create Kimberley Downs. Davies subsequently oversaw operations at both Kimberley Downs and Napier Downs Stations.
By 1910, the station encompassed an area of and maintained a flock of 30,000 sheep. The workforce included eight permanent white employees, supplemented primarily by Aboriginal laborers. In 1916, the entire sheep flock—comprising 11,400 ewes, 4,400 wethers, and 340 rams—was sold in what was recognized as Western Australia's largest single-line sheep sale at that time. Shortly thereafter, Kimberley Downs transitioned its focus to cattle production, coinciding with the introduction of the cattle tick into the West Kimberley region, which impacted Kimberley Downs and its neighboring stations.
An outbreak of Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia occurred in 1931, prompting quarantine protocols after 80 infected cattle were identified during a muster.
By 1976, ownership of Kimberley Downs and adjacent Napier Downs had passed to the Australian Land and Cattle Company. Under the management of Bob and Sheryl McCorry, these combined properties covered an area of , supporting a cattle population of approximately 20,000 head.