Murnpeowie
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1857 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | South Australia |
| Products | Cattle (Poll-Hereford), formerly sheep |
Murnpeowie, also known as Murnpeowie Station, is a pastoral lease situated in the remote areas of South Australia. Initially established as a sheep grazing property, it has since transitioned to cattle farming. The South Australian government officially recognized the area as the locality "Murnpeowie" on 26 April 2013.
Positioned approximately 96 kilometers east of Marree and 102 kilometers northeast of Lyndhurst, the landscape is characterized by gibber plains that support dense growths of Mitchell grass and saltbush. The term "Murnpeowie" derives from an Aboriginal word meaning place of the bronzewing pigeon.
The first leases in this district were secured by John Baker in 1857, with expansions continuing throughout the 1860s. Following Baker’s death in 1872, Thomas Elder amalgamated these parcels into what became known as Blanchewater Horse Station, encompassing nearly 4,000 square miles and capable of sustaining around 20,000 livestock. Construction of the homestead occurred during the 1880s, followed by the woolshed in 1890; both structures featured stone walls topped with iron roofing. By 1894, the station had sheared 106,000 sheep yielding 2,400 wool bales, increasing to 120,000 sheep by 1909. The Blanchewater Homestead Ruins are now recognized for their heritage value.
In 1910, a meteorite weighing 2,520 pounds was found on the property and later donated to the School of Mines after its extraterrestrial origin was confirmed.
Throughout the early decades of the twentieth century, Murnpeowie sustained large sheep populations: about 90,000 in 1920; approximately 70,000 over roughly 4,000 square miles in 1924; and near 60,000 sheep across a reduced expanse of about 3,500 square miles by 1935. The area experienced drought conditions and intense dust storms in 1952.
In 1998, ownership passed to David and Nell Brook who shifted operations to Poll-Hereford cattle. Their certified organic family enterprises include Adria Downs and Cordillo Downs stations, together covering an area close to 30,000 square kilometers.
IBRA biogeographic subregion
The name Murnpeowie also identifies an IBRA subregion (STP03), which lies within the Stony Plains IBRA biogeographic zone.
Historic Photographs
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See also