Peedamulla
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | Early 1880s |
| Founder | Edmund and Archibald Burt |
| Headquarters | Onslow , Australia |
Area served | Pilbara region, Western Australia |
| Products | Cattle (currently), sheep (previously) |
Peedamulla Station, often referred to simply as Peedamulla, is a pastoral lease situated in Western Australia. It currently functions as a cattle station and was previously operated as a sheep station.
Description
Positioned approximately southeast of Onslow and southwest of Panawonica within the Pilbara region, Peedamulla borders both the coastline and the town of Onslow. The term Peedamulla translates to plenty water in the Indigenous language native to the area.
The property encompasses the full delta of the Cane River, which traverses through the station. However, this section has experienced significant degradation due to overgrazing. The landscape predominantly features spinifex terrain, with areas of cracking clay soils located on the eastern portion.
History
Following explorations by Francis Thomas Gregory during the 1860s, pastoral leases in the Ashburton Land District were made available. The initial acquisition of Peedamulla leases was made by Edmund and Archibald Burt in the early 1880s.
In 1922, the Burts placed a segment of the station up for auction—approximately , including fenced areas. This parcel contained parts of the Cane River with reliable water sources.
By 1928, the entire station, covering , and supporting between 30,000 and 35,000 sheep, was sold for £60,000 to Banard, Brandi, W. Montgomery, and McManus, who established the Peedamulla Pastoral Company. The property was again offered in 1930 at , stocked with 34,000 sheep. It featured sheep-proof fencing subdivided into 32 paddocks and included 35 wells equipped with windmills and troughs. After entering liquidation in 1932, Cornelius McManus and W Montgomery repurchased it later that year.
A cyclone struck in 1924, destroying 40 windmills on Peedamulla, which was followed by drought conditions that further impacted livestock numbers.
Alexander Edward Hardie acquired Peedamulla in 1937 for £19,522. His son Byron initially managed the property, followed by G. Herbert, who leased part of it as Cane River Station. The Hardie family maintained ownership until at least 1955.
By 1961, land resumptions undertaken for Onslow's water supply reduced Peedamulla’s size to . Subsequent cyclones in 1961 and 1963 inflicted damage on infrastructure and caused losses among livestock.
During the 1970s, Moira and Neville MacDonald purchased Peedamulla for AUD 70,000 but sold it three years later to the Commonwealth Government. At that time, it supported a flock of around 28,000 sheep and was designated for use by Aboriginal Australians from the region.
Since 1985, management of Peedamulla has been under the Parker family. They have partnered with the Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation to operate the station as a training facility for Aboriginal communities across Pilbara.
The ruins of the homestead have been evaluated for heritage listing due to their historical connection with the prominent Burt family of Western Australia.