Mileura Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1885 |
| Founder | Henry (Harry) Bowring Walsh and Frederick Richard Walsh |
| Headquarters | Mid West district , Australia |
Area served | Approximately 700,000 acres west of Meekatharra, Western Australia |
| Products | Sheep (Merino), cattle (shorthorn) |
Mileura Station operates as a pastoral lease situated in the Mid West district of Western Australia.
Description
Occupying an area of roughly , the station is located approximately west of Meekatharra and shares a boundary with Nookawarra Station. The terrain consists of mulga woodlands, limestone gibber plains, rocky elevations, floodplain regions, along with various river and creek networks.
History
The establishment of Mileura dates back to 1885 when Victorian siblings Henry (Harry) Bowring Walsh (1856–1920) and Frederick Richard Walsh (1861–1938) acquired around 700,000 acres from Nookawarra Station, previously owned by explorer Frank Wittenoom, for £10,000. This purchase included livestock numbering 7,000 sheep and 500 cattle. The station's name derives from Mileura Hill nearby, which Wittenoom surveyed in 1875. Early developments comprised a stone homestead constructed in 1890, fencing installations, water supply points, and an eight-stand shearing shed.
The Walsh family retained ownership until 2004. Godfrey Henry (Bill) Walsh became the sole proprietor in 1947; following his passing, ownership transferred to his wife Margery in 1949. Their son Matcham Walsh assumed management from 1956 and took full ownership in 1967. At its operational zenith, Mileura maintained a flock of 18,000 Merino sheep alongside 500 shorthorn cattle. In 2004, the property was sold to Cynthia and Gregory Stoney, who transitioned the focus toward expanding cattle herds rather than sheep. Subsequently, in 2013, Michael and Anna Tierney purchased Mileura.
Science
During Matcham Walsh’s leadership between 1956 and 2004, Mileura became a center for ecological research on mulga rangelands. Research initiatives led by Dr Stephen Davies from CSIRO Wildlife Research and later Curtin University enhanced knowledge of the surrounding environment. Significant scientific contributions include work by Professor John Valley (University of Wisconsin–Madison) and Professor Simon Wilde (Curtin University), who conducted pioneering studies on zircons aged approximately 4.4 billion years at Mileura, providing evidence for earlier life origins on Earth.
In 1999, Mileura was shortlisted as a potential location for the international Square Kilometre Array radio telescope project. Preliminary radio frequency assessments carried out between 2000 and 2005 yielded favorable results; however, escalating radio frequency interference led to relocating the project to Boolardy Station in 2006.
Aboriginal occupation
In the 1950s, radiocarbon dating performed by Stephen Davies and Matcham Walsh on a hearth found within a cave at Ejah Breakaway—around 18 km southwest of the homestead—revealed human presence dating back to approximately 1100 CE. The cave’s position overlooking a water source with extensive views indicates it likely served as an Aboriginal resting or ceremonial site. Scratched markings on the cave ceiling may function as regional maps. As of 2017, Mileura lies within the native title lands of the Wadjarri Yamatji people.