Quobba
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1898 |
| Founder | Charles Augustus Fane |
| Headquarters | Carnarvon , Australia |
Area served | Gascoyne region, Western Australia |
| Products | Sheep (damara sheep for meat) |
Quobba Station, often simply called Quobba, is a pastoral lease functioning as a sheep station in Western Australia. Initially owned by Charles Augustus Fane and Charles Eugene Fane, it was originally known as Point Charles.
Description
Situated approximately north of Carnarvon and south of Coral Bay, Quobba is positioned at the southern extremity of the Ningaloo Reef Marine Park within the Gascoyne region. It shares boundaries with Boolathana Station and Lake Macleod to the east and south, Gnaraloo to the north, and faces the Indian Ocean on its western side. Notably, this property holds the distinction of being Australia's westernmost station.
The station stretches roughly along the coastline and measures between in width. Its terrain is characterized by coastal rangelands dominated by vegetation such as saltbush, karara, and buffalo grass.
History
Quobba was founded in 1898 by Charles Augustus Fane, encompassing an area near . Initially named Point Charles Station after its founder, ownership changed hands in 1909 to Charles Eugene Fane and Dan Powell. Later, in 1923, George Baston and Leonard French took over both the station and its sheep stock.
By 1925, Quobba had sheared more than 8,000 sheep. After Leonard French passed away in 1929 and George Baston in 1940, control of the property was assumed by Baston's son Keith.
In 1941, following the naval engagement between the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran and the Australian cruiser HMAS Sydney, survivors from Kormoran came ashore near Quobba Station. The station personnel collaborated with authorities to apprehend these survivors without incident.
The Meecham family acquired Quobba in 1977 and transitioned its focus from producing merino wool to raising damara sheep primarily for meat. By 2015, the station maintained a flock numbering around 10,000 damaras.
During lease discussions with the Western Australian government in 2015, sections of pastoral land along the world-heritage-listed Ningaloo Coast were excised for purposes related to conservation and tourism development.
Tourism
Since the 1970s, tourism activities such as fishing and surfing have expanded significantly. By 2015, tourism accounted for about 20% of Quobba Station's revenue. Prominent attractions include Ningaloo Reef, natural blowholes, the wreck site of the bulk carrier Korean Star, and a memorial cairn commemorating HMAS Sydney. The station provides lodging options along with a general store located at Red Bluff.
Surfing
Red Bluff Point is well-known as a surfing destination featuring a left-hand reef break with wave heights ranging from . In 2012, a surfer survived a shark attack at this location and was aided by other surfers during rescue efforts.