Dulkaninna facts for kids
Dulkaninna Station is a large pastoral lease in the remote outback of South Australia. A pastoral lease is like renting a huge piece of land from the government for farming. This station used to raise sheep, but now it's a busy cattle station, raising beef cattle.
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Where is Dulkaninna Station?
Dulkaninna Station is located along the famous Birdsville Track. This track is a long, unpaved road that goes through the desert. The station is about 84 kilometers (52 miles) north of a town called Marree. It sits at the southern edge of the Tirari Desert.
What is the Land Like?
The land at Dulkaninna is very diverse and interesting. You can find flat, stony areas called gibber plains. There are also black soil flood plains, which get covered in water when it rains a lot. You'll also see sandy areas with sand-hills and many creek systems. A large body of water called Lake Gregory is in the north-east part of the property.
Dulkaninna Station shares its borders with other big properties. To the south-west, it's next to Clayton Station. Murnpeowie is to the south-east, and Etadunna Station is to the north.
What Happens at Dulkaninna Today?
Dulkaninna Station covers a huge area of about 2,000 square kilometers (770 square miles). That's bigger than many cities! Today, the station focuses on raising beef cattle. It's special because it's a certified organic producer. This means they raise their cattle using natural methods, without artificial chemicals.
The Bell family has owned and managed Dulkaninna Station for over 110 years. That's a very long time for one family to care for such a big property! They raise a special type of cattle called Poll Hereford crossed with Black Angus. They also breed strong stock horses and quarter horses, which are very useful for working with cattle.
A Look Back at Dulkaninna's History
The area around Dulkaninna has been explored for a long time. In 1885, scientists did geological surveys to study the rocks and land. At the same time, bores were dug to find water deep underground.
Early Ownership
Dulkaninna was once part of an even larger property called Mundowdna. This huge run was owned by a famous Australian cattle king, Sidney Kidman. In 1896, a section of Mundowdna, about 255 square miles (660 square kilometers), was separated and named Dulkaninna North East. George William Barrett became the new owner of this lease.
By 1914, a company called Messrs Sinclair, Scott and Company owned the station. Back then, they raised both sheep and cattle on the property.
Changes and the Bell Family
In 1920, the property was left empty for a while. But by 1923, a company called the Avon Downs Pastoral Company took over.
The Bell family, who still own the station today, bought Dulkaninna in 1933. In 1935, the area was going through a very dry period. D. D. Bell, who was the owner at the time, planned to start breeding horses at Dulkaninna again. He even had a special radio, called a pedal wireless, installed before 1929. This was very important for communicating in such a remote place.
George Bell, a member of the family, came to the station when he was just 13 years old. He worked on the vast 2,000 square kilometer property his entire life. He passed away in 2007 at the age of 87. His son, Daryl, then took over the important job of running Dulkaninna Station.
In April 2013, the government of South Australia officially named the area covering the Dulkaninna pastoral lease as a locality called 'Dulkaninna'.
