Fossil Downs Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fossil Downs Station |
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Homestead at Fossil Downs Station, 1902
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| General information | |
| Type | Station |
| Location | 50 kilometres (31 mi) North East of Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia |
| Coordinates | 18°8′19.8″S 125°46′31.6″E / 18.138833°S 125.775444°E |
| Designated | 26 February 1999 |
| Reference no. | 697 |
Fossil Downs Station is a very large cattle farm, also known as a pastoral lease, located in Western Australia. It's about 50 kilometers (31 miles) northeast of a town called Fitzroy Crossing. This station is found in the Kimberley region, which is famous for its rugged landscapes.
Contents
History of Fossil Downs
Early Explorers and Settlers
The first Europeans to explore the area around Fossil Downs were part of Alexander Forrest's group in 1879. Later, in 1885, Charles Hall passed through. He later discovered gold at Halls Creek, which became a very important place.
Fossil Downs Station was officially started in 1886. This was when cattle were brought from other parts of Australia to live on the land. The land lease had been given in 1883 to Dan MacDonald for his family. They were living far away in New South Wales at the time. Dan wanted to claim about 100 square miles (259 square kilometers) of land where the Margaret and Fitzroy Rivers meet.
The Longest Cattle Drive
The MacDonald family teamed up with the McKenzie family, who were close friends and related by marriage. Together, they planned to get the station ready and stocked with animals. The McKenzies paid the first year's rent, which was £25. In March 1883, both families left their homes in New South Wales.
Sadly, Donald MacDonald died early in the journey after falling from a horse. This left his two sons, Charles and William, to continue the difficult trip. They had to drive the cattle about 5,600 kilometers (3,479 miles) to their new property. They started with 700 cattle and 60 horses. Along the way, they faced very dry conditions, known as drought, as they traveled through Queensland.
In June 1886, they finally arrived at the property. They had only 327 cattle and 13 horses left. The brothers met up with Dan and set up their camp. This incredible journey is believed to be the longest overland cattle drove in Australia's history!
Growing the Station
The gold rush at Halls Creek created a nearby market for beef. This was great for the MacDonald brothers, who continued to run the property. The McKenzies helped by paying for the station's running costs. Around 1900, the McKenzies sold their share of the station to the MacDonalds.
Charles MacDonald passed away in 1903, and William in 1910. This left Dan MacDonald as the sole owner of Fossil Downs. The station became very successful. Dan expanded it by taking over leases of nearby properties. He also improved his cattle by adding Red Poll cattle to his existing Shorthorn herd.
By 1915, Fossil Downs was exporting about 1,500 cattle each year to Java. The cattle were sent through the town of Derby.
In the early 1920s, despite a drought in 1924 and problems with cattle ticks, cattle farmers in the area continued to do well. This was partly because a new abattoir (a place where animals are processed for meat) opened in Wyndham. Also, a stock route was created from Wyndham to the central Kimberley region, making it easier to move cattle.
New Owners and Challenges
In the 1920s, a famous "cattle king" named Sidney Kidman bought half of Fossil Downs for £75,000. But in 1928, Dan MacDonald bought back Kidman's share with help from his brother Duncan. This made Dan the only owner of the property again.
Dan MacDonald's son, William, bought into the property in 1931. When his father died in 1939, William took charge of Fossil Downs. William was a trained architect. He decided to pull down the old homestead (the main house) because it was damaged by termites. He then designed a brand new homestead for his new wife, Maxine. This new house was built about 14 kilometers (9 miles) away from the old one.
By the early 1950s, Fossil Downs was enormous. It was estimated to be about 1,000,000 acres (4,047 square kilometers) in size. It had over 20,000 branded cattle. The station employed 20 white staff members and 60 Aboriginal workers.
In 1952, a large part of the West Kimberley region, including Fossil Downs, suffered from a severe drought. This drought continued into 1953. Almost all the grass and plants died, and even many native trees started to die because of the intense heat and lack of water. The number of cattle in the area was cut in half. This was the first major drought for farmers in 70 years. Many quickly dug wells and bought feed to keep their animals alive. Other nearby properties like Noonkanbah and Gogo Station were also affected.
Unique Features and Modern Times
The remote Muludja community is located on the station. It's about 2.7 kilometers (1.7 miles) from the homestead, but on the other side of the river. The community was moved in the 1990s and has about 100 people, all of whom are of Aboriginal descent.
The name of the station, Fossil Downs, comes from the many fossilized animals and plants found in the limestone rocks in the area. These fossils are part of something called the Gogo Formation.
Many cattle stations in the Kimberley have seen their native pastures (grasslands) get worse over time, often from too much grazing. However, Fossil Downs has managed to avoid this problem. For years, they have collected seeds by hand from good pastures and spread them across the rest of the property. They also use a method called rotational grazing, where cattle are moved to different areas to allow the land to recover. Because of these efforts, a plant called mulla mulla has returned to the pastures. This plant has a lot of protein, which is good for the cattle. It also helps the environment by keeping the soil stable.
In 2012, WNM MacDonald Pty Ltd was the company leasing Fossil Downs. The station was operating under a specific Crown Lease number.
In 2015, Gina Rinehart, a very wealthy businesswoman, bought Fossil Downs. This was the first time the property had been for sale in 133 years! The station covers 4,000 square kilometers (1,544 square miles) and had 15,000 cattle. The exact sale price was not made public, but it was thought to be between 25 and 30 million Australian dollars.
