William Hayes (pastoralist)
William P. Hayes | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1820s Liverpool, United Kingdom |
| Died | 1913-11-17 |
| Occupation | Pastoralist |
| Known for | Developing a vast cattle enterprise in Central Australia covering 13,478 square kilometers including Undoolya, Deep Well, Maryvale, Mount Burrell, and Owen Springs Stations |
William P. Hayes (– 17 November 1913) was a trailblazing pastoralist in Central Australia. He developed a vast cattle enterprise covering 13,478 square kilometers, which included Undoolya, Deep Well, Maryvale, Mount Burrell, and Owen Springs Stations located near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.
Early life
Originally from Liverpool, UK, Hayes was raised in Wales and initially worked as a butcher before relocating to Australia at the age of 21, arriving in Adelaide. He gained experience working in remote parts of South Australia, such as Yednaloo Station north of Port Augusta and Canowie, where he acquired a team of bullocks. Unfortunately, during the drought of the mid-1860s, he lost all 30 bullocks. Among his diverse employment history, he regarded transporting five tonnes of copper ore from Yudanamutpna Mine to Port Augusta for a London exhibition as his most notable accomplishment.
Following the birth of their youngest child Edward, William and his wife Mary (née Stratford) settled in Alice Springs in 1884. They undertook fencing projects on Mount Burrell and Owen Springs Station for Thomas Elder, and in 1890 they delivered steel telegraph poles to Alice Springs to replace the original wooden ones along the Overland Telegraph Line.
Pastoral empire
The Hayes family embarked on their pastoral journey in 1893 by securing a lease at Deep Well Station, starting with the purchase of 162 cattle from Tom Williams of Paddy's Hole Arltunga. During the drought of the 1890s, they expanded their holdings by acquiring a lease at Mount Burrell after Thomas Elder withdrew. Eventually, Hayes controlled five additional leases and gave up Deep Well. By 1903, he had consolidated seven leases under the name Hayes and Family, turning attention to Undoolya Station. Over approximately twenty years, their property grew to encompass more than 11,000 cattle across 13,478 square kilometers—an area comparable to that owned by Sidney Kidman—consisting of:
| Station | Number of leases | Area (square km) |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Burrell/Maryvale | 7 | 3,753 |
| Undoolya | 7 | 4,908 |
| Owen Springs | 6 | 4,817 |
William and Mary Hayes were parents to six children: James, Edward, Elizabeth, Mary, William, and John. William espoused progressive ideas regarding women's involvement in station operations. In an interview from 1908, he commended his daughters’ proficiency in every facet of station duties—including horse riding, cattle mustering, shoeing horses, and branding—stating they were equally capable as men in managing a station.
In 1911, the renewal of their Undoolya Station leases was threatened due to a Commonwealth investigation into establishing a Central Australian horse breeding facility intended to supply over 4,000 horses annually to the Indian Army. Since the Undoolya leases were up for renewal that year, they were considered for this purpose. Ultimately, after a period of uncertainty, the lease was renewed on 15 September 1921. William Hayes passed away in Adelaide on 17 November 1913 at age 86, leaving his extensive pastoral properties to his descendants.