Mount Welcome Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1864 |
| Founder | John and Emma Withnell |
| Headquarters | Roebourne , Australia |
Area served | Western Australia |
| Products | Sheep, cattle |
| Owner | Ngarluma Aboriginal Corporation |
Mount Welcome Station is a pastoral lease located in Western Australia, initially established as a sheep station and presently functioning as a cattle station.
The property was founded by John and Emma Withnell at the base of Mount Welcome beside the Harding River. This location later developed into the town of Roebourne. The Withnell family, including Emma who was expecting, along with extended relatives, arrived in 1864 after their vessel, Sea Ripple, was wrecked near Port Hedland. Of the original 460 sheep, only 86 survived the incident. They settled at Mount Welcome and promptly constructed a homestead on the land using materials sourced locally. By 1865, this homestead had become a central meeting point, connecting the port of Cossack with neighboring pastoral runs.
The station endured several hardships: a severe drought in 1870, a devastating cyclone in 1872 that demolished the homestead and caused significant livestock fatalities, followed by a fire in 1878. In 1879, ownership transferred to Robert John Sholl, who operated the station through his sons. Another cyclone in 1882 resulted in additional losses among the stock.
Before 1914, the Stove brothers took control of Mount Welcome along with other nearby properties such as Cooya Pooya, Karratha, and Cherritta stations. These estates suffered extensive damage from a major cyclone in 1925. In 1937, the Stove family erected Mount Welcome House on the site of the original homestead; this was a single-storey building framed with timber and topped with corrugated iron roofing, serving as their family home. The Stove family maintained possession at least until 1952.
Mount Welcome House received heritage listing status in 1998.
In 2006, the lease held by the Indigenous Ieramugadu group was at risk of cancellation by the state government due to issues with overstocking and inadequate infrastructure. However, after remedial actions were taken by 2007, they were permitted to retain it. In 2009, approximately 20 Aboriginal squatters were removed from the heritage-listed homestead in Roebourne—known locally as Munda Miya—because the building had been declared unsafe.
Currently under the management of the Ngarluma Aboriginal Corporation, Mount Welcome is situated within Ngarluma traditional lands. In 2014, Dave Rutherford was appointed manager to enhance its operations as a cattle station. He also reintroduced Dorper sheep aimed at meat production and community skill development programs.