Myrtle Springs Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1864 |
| Founder | Henry McConville |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Sheep |
Myrtle Springs Station functions as a pastoral lease and operates as a sheep station in the remote regions of South Australia.
Description
Positioned roughly south of Marree and north of Blinman, Myrtle Springs shares boundaries with Beltana and Leigh Creek Stations. The property lies on the western fringe of the northern Flinders Ranges, where the terrain shifts from rugged ranges to the flat expanses of the Lake Torrens basin, featuring sand dunes alongside claypan areas.
History
Founded in 1864 by Henry McConville and originally named Mount Scott, the station initially covered . Early periods of drought severely diminished the sheep population; however, a collaboration with William Baines enabled the flock to be restored to 11,000 head. In 1873, ownership passed to Alexander Borthwick Murray and George Tinline, at which time the property supported 3,000 sheep, 300 cattle, and 50 horses, with facilities such as yards and huts established. The land was estimated to sustain up to 29,000 sheep.
During Murray and Tinline’s tenure, heavy rainfall in 1876 resulted in considerable livestock losses, illustrating the region's climatic variability. By 1898, Leonard Browne held leases including Leigh's Creek Station. The Matheson brothers acquired Myrtle Springs by 1907; records from 1908 indicate the property was stocked with more than 30,000 sheep.
In 1920, Richard Dawes sold Myrtle Springs to John Cowan and John Lindo; at that point, it extended over with a capacity for 50,000 sheep and 700 cattle. The Kidman estates sold Myrtle Springs along with other properties totaling over in 1950 to A. S. Toll and E. G. and J. L. Boynthon, who established the Myrtle Springs Pastoral Company.
By 1954, under the management of Maurice Smith, the station covered around . In April 2013, the South Australian Government formally designated the pastoral lease area as the locality known as 'Myrtle Springs'.
See also