Momba Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture, Sheep farming |
| Founded | 1860s |
| Founder | Edward Bonney, Frederic Bonney |
| Headquarters | Near White Cliffs and Wilcannia , Australia |
Area served | New South Wales |
| Products | Sheep, cattle, horses |
Momba Station operates as a pastoral lease and functions as a sheep station in New South Wales, situated approximately southeast of White Cliffs and northeast of Wilcannia.
History
The Bonney brothers, Edward and Frederic Bonney, established Momba Station along the Paroo River and Darling River, influenced by their uncle, Charles Bonney. Frederic became involved in 1865 but eventually sold his interest and returned to the United Kingdom in 1881 due to Edward’s declining health. Frederic's photographic work documenting the local Paakantyi people, who were employed at the station, serves as a valuable anthropological archive.
By the late 1860s, the station encompassed . Among its notable workers was Plorn Dickens, son of Charles Dickens, who served as a stockman before founding Yanda Station in 1872. By 1883, investments totaling £102,080 had been made in developments at Momba and Mount Murchison. The property expanded to cover by 1884, becoming the largest grazing estate in New South Wales. It extended northward from the Darling River and was under the ownership of the Momba Pastoral Company, whose key members later established Elders Limited.
Starting in 1902, Momba underwent subdivision. In 1906, owner Peter Waite collaborated with other pastoralists to form the Pastoralists' Association of West Darling. By 1913, the station spanned , supporting a flock of 55,000 sheep alongside cattle and horses, with significant frontage on both the Darling River and Paroo River floodplains.
By 1917, Joseph Timms had acquired Momba, selling 100,000 sheep to Ben Chaffey of Moorna Station and subsequently disposing of to buyers from Wilcannia. In 1924, Timms partnered with Sidney Kidman to auction Momba as part of a combined holding of 1.4 million acres that included Mount Murchison and Purnanga, collectively sustaining roughly 100,000 sheep.
The drought in 1927 severely affected operations; cattle numbers dwindled from 9,000 to an anticipated survival count near 2,000. By 1950, the remaining land was divided into ten separate leases such as Peery, Mandalay, and Arrowbar.
The station today
Prior to 2006, Tom Brinkworth purchased Momba Station. He also owns several neighboring properties including the 455 km² Duntroon, Mena Murtee adjacent to it, Goorimpa on the Paroo River, Ulalie, and Bon View Stations. Since acquiring these holdings, the Brinkworth family has grown their Watervalley Pty Ltd portfolio by adding Kalkaroo, Annalara, Wild Duck, Tillenbury, Purnawilla, Bimpero, and Gumbalara stations located in western New South Wales.