Mulka Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cattle station |
| Founded | before 1889 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Far northern South Australia |
| Products | Cattle |
Mulka Station operates as a cattle station under a pastoral lease in the far northern region of South Australia. The Government of South Australia officially named the land encompassed by Mulka Station's pastoral lease as the locality "Mulka" on 26 April 2013.
Geography
Situated approximately north of Marree and west of Innamincka, Mulka Station is primarily accessed via the unsealed Birdsville Track.
Climate
Positioned south of Clifton Hills Station, Mulka Station holds the distinction of being Australia's driest continuously inhabited pastoral property, receiving an average annual rainfall near . The climate is classified as hot and arid (BWh).
Historically, severe droughts have posed significant challenges; for example, in early 1929, extended dry spells nearly led to the area's depopulation. More recently, drought conditions in 2005 necessitated the total removal of livestock. By 2010, increased rainfall revitalized flows in Cooper Creek, providing relief to the wider pastoral district.
History
Covering , Mulka Station was acquired in 1983 by Denis and Gabrielle Overton. Within its perimeter lie both Lake Hope and Red Lake.
The station's origins trace back to before 1889 when it was initially stocked with sheep. In that year, owner James White sold Mulka along with Canatalkina Run; together they spanned and supported a flock of 6,000 sheep.
Around 1923, George "Poddy" Aiston, formerly a policeman, took ownership of Mulka. By 1925, he had established the Mulka Store adjacent to Mulka Bore along the Birdsville Track. Serving an area roughly , the store offered a wide variety of goods. The remains of this establishment, known as the Mulka Store Ruins, are now registered on the South Australian Heritage Register. Between 1933 and 1934, drought severely affected the station, endangering Aiston's herd of 1,000 cattle. Later in 1934, dust storms were succeeded by flooding creeks. After George Aiston passed away in 1943, his wife Mabel continued managing the store until 1951.
In 1949, airmail services began reaching isolated outback stations including Mulka as well as Mungerannie, Clifton Hills, Glengyle, Davenport Downs, Morney Plains, Mount Leonard, Durrie, Cordillo Downs, Tanbar, Durham Downs, Nappa Merrie, Lake Pure, and Naryilco.
Following three consecutive floods that filled Lake Hope between 1989 and 1991, Denis and Gabrielle Overton obtained a fishing licence in 1991. This licence was later transferred in 2000 to Denis's brother Gary Overton. It authorizes the sustainable capture of up to of Lake Eyre Golden Perch, Welch's Grunter, and Barcoo Grunter from Lake Hope waters that become isolated from Cooper Creek after flooding events.
By 2012, floodwaters allowed Overton to harvest as much as of fish weekly for shipment to Adelaide. At that time, the station also maintained a herd numbering around 3,000 cattle.