Minderoo Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1867 |
| Founder | E.T. Hooley |
| Headquarters | Pilbara , Australia |
| Products | Sheep, cattle, horticulture crops (melons, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes) |
Minderoo Station, often simply called Minderoo, is a pastoral lease situated in Western Australia that evolved from operating as a sheep station to functioning primarily as a cattle station.
Description
Positioned approximately south of Onslow and west of Pannawonica within the Pilbara area, Minderoo spans an extensive area of . The property boasts around of dual frontage along the Ashburton River, extending over a broad expanse characterized by sandy and clay soils. The term Minderoo derives from an Aboriginal word meaning "place of permanent and clean water".
History
The station was founded in 1867 by E.T. Hooley, who was granted the pastoral lease as recognition for establishing a stock route between Perth and Roebourne. Early operations encountered opposition from Indigenous groups, leading to the Battle of Minderoo amid frontier conflicts. Although initially successful, Hooley eventually relinquished control due to ongoing resistance.
In 1878, the Forrest brothers took over the leasehold, with David Forrest appointed as manager. The property was co-owned by David, John, and Alexander Forrest alongside Septimus Burt, with the group driving 2,000 sheep overland to Minderoo. By 1884, livestock numbers had increased to 16,000 sheep, 800 cattle, and 80 horses; by 1891, the sheep population reached approximately 50,000 alongside cattle and horses.
A fire in 1888 caused damage to the homestead and resulted in injuries to David Forrest. The partnership ended in 1901, after which the Forrest family became sole proprietors and engaged Arthur Bailey as station manager. Around 1906, Minderoo supported roughly 33,000 sheep.
In 1952, staff were affected by fallout from British nuclear tests conducted on Monte Bello Island about away. Two years later, in 1954, Jack Reynolds was employed to remove feral cattle and initiated airlifting beef to nearby towns.
The Forrest family maintained ownership until 1998 when Donald Forrest sold Minderoo due to financial strain caused by drought conditions. Mining entrepreneur Andrew Forrest, who spent part of his youth working there as a jackaroo, repurchased the property in 2009 for AUD 12 million.
Following acquisition, Andrew Forrest appointed Phil Clark as manager. Clark reduced the herd from 11,000 to 3,500 head of cattle to facilitate land recovery and constructed a weir on the Ashburton River to ensure reliable water access. The station introduced Droughtmaster, Red Angus, and Ultra Black Angus bulls aiming to develop a composite herd tailored for premium dining markets. By 2015, efforts were underway to achieve organic certification.
In 2017, Andrew Forrest revealed plans to diversify into horticulture by employing centre-pivot irrigation across up to 1,000 hectares for cultivating crops such as melons, onions, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. That same year, Minderoo was producing Rhodes grass over 120 hectares using this irrigation technique as feed for cattle.
See also
External links
- Battle of Minderoo — complete poem text available at Wikisource