Supplejack Downs
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cattle station |
| Founded | 1961 |
| Founder | Bob and Lil Savage |
| Headquarters | Tanami , Australia |
Area served | Northern Territory |
| Products | Cattle |
Number of employees | 8,000 (cattle herd size) |
Supplejack Downs, sometimes referred to as Suplejack Downs, is a pastoral lease functioning as a cattle station situated in Australia's Northern Territory.
Positioned roughly south of the Darwin central business district and to the southwest of Lajamanu, it lies within the locality of Tanami in the central western region of the Northern Territory.[1] The western boundary adjoins the Purtu Aboriginal Land Trust, with the remainder of its perimeter bordered by unallocated crown land.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Spanning an area of , Suplejack is located along the edges of the Tanami Desert and is reachable via the Tanami Track. The landscape features a mixture of rolling hills, tablelands, open plains, and flood-out zones. Vegetation includes species such as Mitchell grass, Flinders grass, and oat grass, accompanied by trees like the suplejack, mulga, whitewood, and spinifex. The station manages a cattle herd numbering around 8,000 head.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
The station was established in 1961 when Bob and Lil Savage obtained a grazing licence. Initial developments comprised constructing the homestead beginning in 1965, installing fencing, and drilling bores. By 1966, two bores had been completed along with of fencing.[2] Prior to founding Suplejack, the Savages had worked on nearby Hooker Creek and Yuendumu stations.
By 1976, the property extended over , during which time it became subject to a traditional Dreaming claim by four men of the Warlpiri people.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name The Cook family was also residing on the property at that period.
In 1978, the government issued a pastoral lease to the Savage family, which they maintained ownership of at least until 2011.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
In 2008, Rob Cook experienced a helicopter accident during a cattle muster that resulted in spinal injuries causing quadriplegia. The pastoral community raised A$75,000 to assist with his medical care at an Adelaide hospital.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Subsequently, Rob undertook a journey across the Tanami Desert using a specially adapted wheelchair to raise funds for his Nuffield Scholarship and was honored with a national Pride of Australia courage award in 2011.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name