Wellshot Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1872 |
| Founder | Alexander Buchanan |
| Headquarters | Ilfracombe , Australia |
Area served | Queensland, Australia |
| Products | Sheep (wool and meat) |
Wellshot Station operates as a pastoral lease functioning as a sheep station situated approximately south of Ilfracombe and north of Jundah within Queensland, Australia.
History
Founded in 1872 by Alexander Buchanan, who secured an expanse of land, Wellshot was established with investment from the New Zealand and Australia Land Company headquartered in Scotland. The station's name originates from the estate of a principal shareholder near Glasgow.
By 1876, the property covered , stretching westward to the Thomson River and neighbored by Darling Downs and Beaconsfield Station. Due to limited water availability, 48 reservoirs with a combined capacity of were constructed alongside bores reaching depths of , ensuring a water reserve of 1.3 million gallons.
Severe droughts in 1881 and 1884 resulted in heavy losses among livestock. In 1886, Wellshot managed the largest single sheep mob ever driven locally—43,000 sheep tended by 27 stockmen. That same year witnessed industrial disputes when shearers initiated strikes over working conditions, culminating in the creation of the Shearers' Union following a march involving more than 600 participants.
Land resumptions under the Land Act during the early 1890s reclaimed about , including territories that developed into Ilfracombe and Longreach. The balance of remained valuable grazing territory.
By 1892, Wellshot had gained recognition as the world's largest sheep station by flock size, maintaining 460,000 sheep. That year saw the sale of 40,000 two-year-old wethers. The Tibbett brothers undertook an extraordinary drove of 30,000 ewes over to Roma for shearing and lambing assistance; they returned accompanied by an additional 3,000 lambs.
In 1897, the flock consisted of 387,000 merino sheep producing 5,801 wool bales. A major bushfire in 1918 caused extensive destruction visible from many miles away.
James Inglis served as manager from 1906 until 1925 after joining the New Zealand and Australian Land Company in 1888. His period in charge included significant improvements to the station facilities that were highly valued by employees. His son, Eric Ronald Inglis, later chronicled life on the station in a memoir.
William Clarkson took over management after Inglis until 1933. In 1935, a station worker died following a caterpillar bite; later that year, rail transport moved 50,000 sheep to Boatman Station. Wellshot also recorded a peak temperature of during a heatwave.
The lease concluded in 1948; roughly 30,000 sheep were transported away as the property was divided for closer settlement. That same year brought cyclonic storms that inflicted severe hail damage on station infrastructure.
In 1953, an unstocked homestead block covering was sold for £35,000 to the Gordon brothers from Gordonvale, who had previously acquired land at Wellshot.
Museum
Located at 6–10 McMaster Drive, Ilfracombe (), the Wellshot Centre operates as a museum dedicated to preserving the history of Wellshot Station and emphasizing its role within Queensland's pastoral sector.