Mount Gipps Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture, Tourism |
| Founded | 1863 |
| Founder | Barrier Ranges Company |
| Headquarters | Broken Hill , Australia |
Area served | New South Wales outback |
| Products | Sheep farming, Farmstay tourism |
Mount Gipps Station, often referred to simply as Mount Gipps, is a pastoral lease situated in the northwestern region of New South Wales. It functions both as an active sheep station and a destination for farmstay tourism. Positioned approximately north of Broken Hill and northeast of Mannahill within the New South Wales outback, the station holds considerable historical significance and commercial importance.
Previously, the lands known as Limestone Station and Nine Mile Station were incorporated within the original boundaries of Mount Gipps. The historic homestead currently serves as the base for the Broken Hill branch of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
History
Mount Gipps was founded circa 1863 by the Barrier Ranges Company, which included George Urquhart from the adjacent Kinchega Station. The station’s name derives from Mount Gibbs, a landmark charted by Charles Sturt in 1844. It holds the distinction of being the inaugural station established in the Barrier Range region and one of the earliest pastoral enterprises west of the Darling River.
In 1866, the lease was taken over by McCredie and Cunningham, encompassing an area of , including an outstation at Stephens Creek. They subsequently sold the property to James McCulloch and Robert Sellar. George McCulloch, cousin to James, assumed managerial duties and held a 2/16 share in the Mount Gipps Pastoral and Mineral Company. Among its early workers was a young Sidney Kidman, who gained experience as a roustabout and bullock driver on the property.
By 1877, Mount Gipps had expanded to approximately and was sustaining a flock of 71,000 sheep.
A pivotal moment occurred in 1883 when boundary rider Charles Rasp identified mineral deposits at Broken Hill within Mount Gipps' territory. Alongside two associates, he staked a claim which, with encouragement from McCulloch, led to the formation of the Syndicate of Seven. This group secured six additional claims over what would become one of the richest sources globally for silver, lead, and zinc—laying groundwork for what evolved into BHP.
Location and description
Situated roughly north of Broken Hill and northeast of Mannahill, Mount Gipps lies within the arid outback of New South Wales.
The property primarily depends on bore water supplies, supplemented by semi-permanent waterholes found along Stephens Creek. The landscape features extensive gibber plains, abundant saltbush, stands of mulga, sandy creek beds, and areas populated with coolibah trees.
The original expanse of Mount Gipps included what are now known as Limestone and Nine Mile Stations. During the 2010s, Mount Gipps covered an area of , operating both as a sheep station and farmstay venue. Currently, combined with adjacent Wendalpa Station, it encompasses approximately , functioning under the name Mt Gipps Station Stay.
The historic homestead remains in use today as the site for Broken Hill’s Royal Flying Doctor Service operations.