Yarraloola
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1878 |
| Founder | H. and W. Woolhouse |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Pilbara, Western Australia |
| Products | Cattle |
| Parent | Rio Tinto Group (through Robe River Iron Associates joint venture) |
Yarraloola—also known as Yarraloola Station—is a pastoral lease situated in Western Australia. Originally functioning as a sheep station, it has since transitioned into a cattle station operation.
Positioned to the west of Pannawonica and east of Onslow, Yarraloola lies along the Robe River within the Pilbara district. The station was founded in 1878 by H. and W. Woolhouse, who by 1886 had established a notable reputation for breeding both horses and sheep.
In 1894, the property endured extensive flooding that resulted in the loss of 400 sheep and damaged approximately of fencing. Nevertheless, that year the station managed to shear 10,500 sheep, producing around 150 wool bales.
When offered for sale in 1898, Yarraloola encompassed an area of , featuring double frontage along the Robe River. The land supported various vegetation types including silver, plain, and bundle-bundle grasses alongside salt bush regions. The station’s infrastructure comprised two jarrah cottages with three rooms each, an iron-roofed woolshed, stockyards, sleeping quarters, a kitchen, blacksmith facilities, and seven paddocks enclosed by fencing extending . Livestock at that time included 11,600 mixed sheep, 230 cattle, and 180 horses. Water resources were supplied by the river and supplemented by seven windlasses. Ownership transferred to G.P Paterson and A.R. Richardson, who were previously part-owners of Yeeda Station.
By 1915, following an excellent season marked by of rainfall over six months, Yarraloola had sheared 16,500 sheep yielding 250 wool bales. Despite a decline in precipitation to over seven months in 1919, the station still managed to shear 19,500 sheep producing 252 bales.
The existing homestead was constructed in 1919 under Keith Paterson’s direction; its development accelerated during the 1920s with improved road connectivity.
In 1952, employees at Yarraloola experienced seismic tremors and witnessed a mushroom cloud resulting from a nuclear test conducted on the Monte Bello Islands approximately away.
The station was severely impacted by flooding in 2009 when the Robe River burst its banks due to a tropical depression. Rising waters necessitated the evacuation of station manager Jason Reimers and his team.
Currently operated by Rio Tinto Group through Yarraloola Pastoral Company under the ownership of Robe River Iron Associates joint venture, Yarraloola serves an important function within Rio Tinto’s Pilbara activities.