Wilgena Station facts for kids
Wilgena Station, often just called Wilgena, is a very large sheep farm in the outback of South Australia. It's a pastoral lease, which means it's land rented from the government for farming. This station is famous for raising merino sheep, which are known for their valuable wool and meat.
Wilgena Station is located about 180 kilometers (112 miles) north-east of Ceduna and 197 kilometers (122 miles) south of Coober Pedy. The Trans-Australian Railway line, a major train track, goes right through the property near the small town of Tarcoola. Even though the soil is quite good, the area doesn't get much rain, only about 6 inches (150 mm) each year. Luckily, a plant called salt bush grows well here, and it's excellent food for the sheep.
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About Wilgena Station
Wilgena Station covers a huge area of about 4,742 square kilometers (1,831 sq mi). To give you an idea, that's bigger than some small countries! It is currently owned by A.J. and P.A. McBride Pty Ltd, a family company that bought the property in 1923. The station is managed by Ian Matheson.
For a while, Wilgena was known as the largest fully fenced sheep farm in the entire world. However, in the 1980s, the property was divided into two separate stations: Wilgena and North Well Station. North Well Station is also very large, covering about 4,039 square kilometers (1,559 sq mi), and is run as its own business.
Natural Water Sources
The property has several natural rock holes that can collect and hold water. These water sources were very important to the local Aboriginal peoples for a long time. They provided essential water in this dry area. Some of the larger rock holes include Adelbing, which can hold about 22,727 liters (5,000 impgal) of water, and Coolbring, which holds about 13,636 liters (3,000 impgal).
History of Wilgena Station
Wilgena Station has a long and interesting history, with different owners and changes over the years.
Early Ownership and Growth
In 1882, the property was owned by Main and Sells. At that time, Wilgena was about 943 square miles (2,442 km2) and had 400 cattle. By 1884, it had grown to 1,150 square miles (2,978 km2) and held 800 cattle. The owners were also digging wells to prepare for raising a large number of sheep, estimated at 40,000.
Changes in Owners
By 1909, Simon Matheson was the owner of Wilgena. He later decided to sell the property in 1911. In 1913, half of the station was sold to Henry Teesdale Smith for £5,000. Then, in 1918, the entire property was sold to Joseph Timms for £14,000.
The McBride Family Era
In 1922, Joseph Timms offered the property to the government to be used for a "soldier settlement" program, which helped soldiers returning from war get land. At this time, Wilgena was over 2,000 square miles (5,180 km2). However, this plan didn't happen. Instead, in 1923, the McBride family bought the property. They already owned other stations nearby, like Yardea. When the McBrides took over, the station was about 2,971 square miles (7,695 km2). It had once had 70,000 sheep, but Timms had been using it for cattle. The McBrides changed it back to raising sheep.
By 1954, Wilgena Station was about 3,000 square miles (7,770 km2) and was home to around 45,000 sheep. The property had a good supply of artesian water, which is water that comes from deep underground.
Official Recognition
On April 26, 2013, the land that makes up Wilgena Station was officially recognized as a locality (a specific place) by the Government of South Australia. It was given the name 'Wilgena'.
