Mount Riddock Station
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cattle station |
| Founded | Early 20th century |
| Founder | Benjamin Mark Webb and Joseph Louis Schaber |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Key people | Steve Cadzow, Rebecca Cadzow |
| Products | Poll Hereford cattle |
Mount Riddock Station encompasses an area of 2,633 square kilometres and operates as a cattle station within the Northern Territory of Australia. The property is overseen by Steve and Rebecca Cadzow.[1] Their livestock primarily consists of Poll Herefords, and the station maintains organic certification.
Early history
The land on which the station is situated has been home to the Eastern Aranda and Anmatjera communities for thousands of years.[2]
The establishment of the station dates back to the early 20th century, founded by Benjamin Mark Webb alongside Joseph Louis Schaber (1863–1940). Their initial objective was gold prospecting near Arltunga, but they soon shifted to supplying meat to miners, a venture that proved more lucrative.[2] The original homestead was constructed in 1910.[3]
Management later passed to Ben Webb’s three sons—Bennett, Qinton, and Kil—known collectively as the Webb brothers. Kil focused on improving water systems, while Bennett took charge of mustering, branding, and droving activities. Roy, son of Joseph Schaber, also contributed as a station manager.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
In 1946, the Webb family initiated the annual Harts Range Races, traditionally held during the Picnic Day weekend. This event originated from a competition between stockmen and local officials racing to the Ulgarna Yards and has since become a celebrated regional tradition.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
To enhance breeding efforts, the Webb brothers acquired Golden Star, a four-year-old chestnut Arabian stallion, in 1949.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Recent history
In 1986, Dick and Ann Cadzow took over the lease of Mount Riddock Station, having previously managed Phillip Creek station near Tennant Creek. At that time, the property faced challenges with large populations of rabbits and horses. Dick Cadzow was honored with the Rural Press Landcare Primary Producer Award at the 2004 NT Landcare Awards. Currently, their son Steve and his wife Rebecca manage the station alongside their three children. Notably, Central Australian botanist Peter Latz worked as a stockman at Mount Riddock during the 1960s.
The Cadzows were pioneers in implementing rotational grazing techniques within this arid environment, partnering with research institutions to assess its effectiveness. This approach earned them recognition through an NT Landcare Award for Sustainable Farm Practices in 2015. Cattle from Mount Riddock consistently achieve premium prices at the annual Alice Springs Show Sale. In 2015, they introduced Australia's first privately owned Remote Livestock Management System on-site, facilitating remote cattle weighing and sorting.
An initial attempt to have Mount Riddock’s historic homestead heritage-listed in 1994 was unsuccessful. Constructed between 1928 and 1930, the homestead was dismantled in 2012 and subsequently relocated in 2014 to Gemtree Caravan Park, approximately 140 km from Alice Springs. A subsequent application led to its successful inclusion on the Northern Territory Heritage Register on 8 April 2016.