Nilpena
| Company type | Pastoral lease (former) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1859 |
| Founder | Thomas Elder, Robert Barr Smith |
| Fate | Acquired by South Australian Government in 2025 |
| Headquarters | Flinders Ranges , Australia |
| Products | Sheep, cattle |
Nilpena Station was formerly a pastoral lease located in the northern Flinders Ranges of South Australia. In August 2025, the South Australian Government acquired the entire property to incorporate it into the Nilpena Ediacara National Park. The station was initially bought in 1859 by Thomas Elder and Robert Barr Smith and operated first as a sheep station before transitioning to a cattle station. Ownership passed to the Fargher family in the early 1980s. A major paleontological discovery occurred in 1985 when they found important Ediacaran fossils, which subsequently drew significant scientific interest. In 2019, the government purchased two-thirds of Nilpena to enlarge the Nilpena Ediacara National Park, officially declared in 2021. The remaining segment was sold in August 2025, further expanding the park and ensuring fossil site preservation. This location is part of an initiative to secure World Heritage designation for the Flinders Ranges.
History
Thomas Elder and Robert Barr Smith became owners of Nilpena in 1859. By 1879, under the proprietorship of William James Browne, an impressive livestock drive took place, moving 12,000 sheep from Nilpena to his northern holdings, with 8,000 surviving the journey. Browne appointed Roderick John Matheson as manager for Nilpena and nearby Arkaba Station. Matheson later became co-owner of Nilpena and eventually acquired full ownership by buying out his partner.
In 1925, Old Nilpena Station, encompassing 31,404 acres and stocked with over 3,000 merino sheep, was put up for auction but failed to meet its reserve price of £11,750. By the following year, Matheson owned both Nilpena and adjacent Warrioota Station (350 square miles), collectively running approximately 15,000 sheep. By 1931, management had passed to Colin Matheson.
Between the 1930s and early 1950s, Nilpena supported both sheep and cattle operations. In 1944, its flock numbered around 7,000 sheep. By 1950, under the management of Nilpena Pastoral Company led by managing director Mr Toll, the property covered roughly 216,000 acres and experienced significant flooding due to heavy rainfall that inundated over 10,000 acres; nonetheless, sufficient feed was secured for two years.
Before the 1980s, Nilpena had fully converted to cattle grazing. The Fargher family took ownership during that decade. In 1985, Ross Fargher uncovered an extraordinary Ediacaran fossil site that became central to groundbreaking paleontological research and contributed to efforts for World Heritage recognition. Notable researchers including American paleontologist Mary Droser from the University of California along with experts from the South Australian Museum have continued extensive studies at Nilpena.
In March 2019, through a public-private partnership arrangement valued at AU$2.2 million, the South Australian Government acquired two-thirds of Nilpena from the Farghers to expand the Ediacara Conservation Park by more than ten times its previous size. Financial backing included contributions from The Nature Conservancy and an anonymous donor later identified as the Wyss Campaign for Nature.
The enlarged conservation area was officially declared as the Nilpena Ediacara National Park in 2021 and opened to the public in April 2023. During this period of transition, Ross and Jane Fargher acted as caretakers alongside Jason Irving, who leads national parks programs. Nilpena continues to play a pivotal role in the Flinders Ranges World Heritage Site nomination process initiated in 2016.
In August 2025, to guarantee ongoing protection of fossil resources beyond pastoral activities, the Farghers sold their remaining interest in the property to the government.
In media
The fossils and the estate gained exposure in 2010 through their inclusion in the television program First Life, presented by David Attenborough.