Carriewerloo facts for kids
Carriewerloo Station is a very large sheep farm, also known as a sheep station, located in South Australia. It operates as a "pastoral lease," which means it's a huge area of land rented from the government mainly for raising animals like sheep. This station is known for its many sheep and its long history.
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Carriewerloo Station: A Big Sheep Farm
Carriewerloo Station is a massive property that focuses on raising sheep. It's an important part of the farming industry in South Australia. The station covers a huge area, providing plenty of space for thousands of sheep to graze.
Where is Carriewerloo Located?
This large sheep station is found in the Australian outback. It is about 38 kilometers (24 miles) north of a town called Iron Knob. Carriewerloo Station is also located around 52 kilometers (32 miles) west of Port Augusta, a larger town on the coast.
A Look Back in Time
Carriewerloo Station has a long and interesting history, going back over 150 years.
- Starting Out: The station was first set up sometime before 1863. Back then, it was owned by a person named James Loudon.
- Changing Hands: In 1865, the property was sold at an auction. At that time, it was about 529 square miles (1,370 square kilometers) in size. It was home to 5,272 sheep.
- Improvements: In 1869, George Charles Hawker bought the station. He spent a lot of time and money making the property better.
- Growing Bigger: By 1906, the Hawker family decided to sell Carriewerloo. At this point, the station had grown even larger. It covered an area of 887 square miles (2,297 square kilometers). This land was known for its excellent "saltbush" country, which is a type of plant that sheep love to eat. The station was home to 33,000 sheep at that time.
Carriewerloo Today
Carriewerloo Station continues to be an active sheep farm.
- Filming Location: In 1959 and 1960, parts of the movie The Sundowners were filmed right on the property. This film was about sheep drovers in Australia.
- Current Owners: In 2007, the Michael family owned the station. They were raising about 25,000 sheep. The sheep's wool was very good quality, with each sheep producing about 6 kilograms (13 pounds) of wool.
- Official Name: In April 2013, the government of South Australia officially named the area where Carriewerloo Station is located as a "locality" called Carriewerloo. This helps to identify the area on maps and for official purposes.
Future Plans: Solar Power!
There are exciting plans for a new project near Carriewerloo Station.
- Aurora Solar Project: A large solar power plant, called the Aurora Solar Thermal Power Project, is planned to be built. It will be located about 30 kilometers (19 miles) north of Port Augusta, on Carriewerloo Station land.
- Clean Energy: This project is expected to start building in 2018. Once finished, it will produce a huge amount of clean electricity every year, starting from 2020. This will help provide power for many homes and businesses using energy from the sun.
