Wilgena Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1923 |
| Founder | McBride family |
| Headquarters | Wilgena , Australia |
Area served | South Australia |
Key people | Ian Matheson (manager) |
| Products | Merino sheep wool and meat |
| Owner | A.J. and P.A. McBride Pty Ltd |
Wilgena Station, often referred to simply as Wilgena, operates as a sheep station under a pastoral lease in the remote regions of South Australia.
Situated approximately northeast of Ceduna and south of Coober Pedy, the station is intersected by the Trans-Australian Railway close to Tarcoola. The land features moderately fertile soils, although the average annual rainfall is only around . The presence of saltbush provides essential feed for the station’s sheep.
Spanning an area of , Wilgena is owned by A.J. and P.A. McBride Pty Ltd, a company focused on breeding merino sheep for both wool production and meat. Ian Matheson currently manages the property, which has been under the McBride family’s ownership since 1923. Historically, Wilgena was regarded as the largest fully enclosed sheep station globally. During the 1980s, the property was divided into two separate operations: Wilgena and North Well Station.
The station contains several natural rock holes that serve as water reservoirs, historically important to local Aboriginal groups. Significant examples include Adelbing, which holds , and Coolbring, with a capacity of .
History
In 1882, ownership of the property was held by Main and Sells, who put Wilgena up for auction alongside Yardea Station. At that time, Wilgena covered and supported a herd of 400 mixed cattle.[1] By 1884, the station had expanded to encompass , stocked with 800 cattle, while wells were being drilled to sustain an estimated flock of 40,000 sheep.[2]
In 1909, lessee Simon Matheson intended to sell Wilgena by 1911. A half share was sold in 1913 to Henry Teesdale Smith for £5,000, and by 1918 Joseph Timms had purchased the entire property for £14,000.[3]
Timms offered Wilgena for use in a soldier settlement scheme in 1922; at that time, the property extended over at the western terminus of the railway line from Adelaide. The government did not proceed with this plan, and in 1923 the McBride family—owners of neighboring holdings including Yardea—acquired Wilgena, which measured approximately . Previously supporting a flock of 70,000 sheep but used for cattle under Timms’ management, the McBrides returned it to sheep grazing.[4]
By 1954, Wilgena encompassed and maintained a flock numbering around 45,000 sheep, supported by abundant supplies of artesian water.[5]
The pastoral lease area known as Wilgena Station was officially designated as a locality by the Government of South Australia on 26 April 2013 under the name 'Wilgena'.[6][7]
See also
References
- ↑ "Advertising". South Australian Register. Adelaide. 8 September 1882. p. 2. Retrieved 24 July 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "The Parliament". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide. 31 October 1884. p. 1. Retrieved 8 November 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "Wilgena Station". The Register. Adelaide. 7 March 1923. p. 6. Retrieved 15 June 2013 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "Station changes hands". The Adelaide Advertiser. Adelaide. 22 August 1923. p. 16. Retrieved 14 June 2013 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedR1 - ↑ "Search result for " Moolooloo (LOCB)" (Record no SA0067212) with the following layers selected – "Suburbs and Localities" and " Place names (gazetteer)"". Property Location Browser. Government of South Australia. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
- ↑ Template:Cite map