Wooltana Station
| Company type | Pastoral lease |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1856 |
| Founder | John McTaggart and John McCallum |
| Headquarters | Near Blinman , Australia |
Area served | Far North, South Australia |
| Products | Sheep (wool and meat) |
Wooltana Station, frequently referred to simply as Wooltana, functions as a sheep station under a pastoral lease in the remote regions of South Australia. It is situated roughly northeast of Blinman and northwest of Broken Hill, nestled between the northern expanse of the Flinders Ranges and Lake Frome. This territory lies within the ancestral lands of the Adnyamathanha people. The station's name is thought to originate from the Aboriginal term ooltulta, although its precise meaning remains unknown.
Within the boundaries of Wooltana lies the Paralana Hot Springs, which release gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, radon, and helium from uranium-enriched veins. Despite the presence of uranium and radon at low concentrations, extended exposure carries health hazards. The Springs support an extremophile algal mat that thrives in their warm, radioactive environment. Recognized for their geological importance, the Springs are listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.
History
The foundation of Wooltana traces back to John McTaggart, an early settler who emigrated from Scotland in 1852. Alongside his brother-in-law John McCallum in 1856, he identified the Wooltana plains as prime pastoral land. McTaggart then moved his family and 1,500 sheep through Port Augusta to establish the station, marking them as South Australia's northernmost European settlers at that time.
Operations were challenged by a drought spanning 1863 to 1865. McTaggart retired in 1882, handing control to his son Lachlan. In 1907, Wooltana grew by absorbing the adjacent Paralana Station, expanding its territory to about .
A notable shearing achievement occurred in 1912 when shearer G. Denman set a South Australian record at Wooltana by shearing 274 sheep within 8 hours and 40 minutes; this record was later broken in 1927 by a shearer from Arkaba Station with a total of 277 sheep.
In 1918, the McTaggart family sold Wooltana to A.J. McBride and Philip McBride from Burra for £60,000. At that point, the property spanned and supported a flock of 30,000 sheep alongside cattle, horses, and camels. A.J. McBride passed away in 1928.
Recurring droughts significantly affected Wooltana: in 1924, two flocks amounting to 9,000 sheep were driven overland to Hawker for southern transport; by 1948, over 10,000 sheep had to be sold due to insufficient feed, halving the flock size. Wild dogs became a major problem during dry periods; in 1950 Wooltana served as a hub for aerial dispersal of some 90,000 strychnine baits aimed at controlling wild dog numbers.
After experiencing drought earlier that year, heavy rainfall finally occurred in December 1954. That same year saw the accidental death of John French, a veteran station worker, during kangaroo hunting activities. Throughout this era, ownership remained with the McBride family.
In 1984, Robert Cameron acquired Wooltana for $1.9 million—a record-breaking price for pastoral properties in South Australia at that time.
On 26 April 2013, the Government of South Australia formally designated the land encompassed by the Wooltana pastoral lease as a locality named "Wooltana."