Morney Plains Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cattle station |
| Founded | Late 1860s or early 1870s |
| Founder | John Costello |
| Headquarters | Near Windorah , Australia |
Area served | Southwestern Queensland, near South Australia border |
| Products | Cattle |
| Owner | S. Kidman & Co. |
Morney Plains Station, often referred to simply as Morney Plains, is a pastoral lease functioning as a cattle station situated in the southwestern region of Queensland. It is positioned approximately west of Windorah and east of Birdsville, within the channel country near the border with South Australia.
The property, owned by S. Kidman & Co., spans an area of and supports a cattle population capacity of around 14,000 head.[1]
History
The land traditionally belongs to the Karuwali people, who have occupied this territory for tens of millennia.[2] The Karuwali language region encompasses parts of the Diamantina Shire Council, including areas such as Betoota and Haddon Corner.[3]
The pastoral lease was initially established on Karuwali country by early settler John Costello in the late 1860s or early 1870s.[4] In 1876, William Barker purchased Morney Plains along with 1,000 cattle from the Collins brothers.[5]
By 1881, ownership under Weir and Scott described the station as "splendid country" despite scarce rainfall. The landscape was characterized by lightly timbered stony ground with saltbush and cotton bush vegetation.[6] The homestead suffered destruction due to severe flooding in 1887.[7]
In 1927, Ernest Castine acquired Morney Plains at auction from Coles Brothers Limited for £27,500 following the passing of Thomas Kidman. At that time, the station covered , maintained a stock of 7,500 cattle and 200 horses, and utilized over four artesian bores.[8]
Airmail services began in 1949, linking remote outback stations like Morney Plains across South Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland.[9]
From 2000 onwards, management of Morney Plains was undertaken by Craig Lasker and Nikki Smith, who brought experience from Ruby Plains and Mooraberree Stations. The station faced drought conditions between 2001 and 2002 that reduced cattle numbers from 13,000 to 3,000. In 2003, severe rainfall caused damage and later that year the homestead was destroyed by fire in a tragedy that claimed the lives of their two children. Despite these hardships, they continued operating the station at least until 2012.[10]
In 2013, ongoing drought led to water being piped from a bore to supply the homestead after dam reserves were depleted.[11]
See also
References
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