Hamelin Station, Western Australia
 | It has been suggested that Hamelin Station Reserve be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since September 2020. |
Hamelin Station is a pastoral lease occupying an area of 202,000 hectares (499,153 acres)[1] near the Shark Bay World Heritage Area in Western Australia. It was formerly a sheep station running merino sheep. It is famous for its free flowing artesian bore from the Birdrong Formation in the Carnarvon Artesian Basin,[2][1] near the homestead, which has created an artificial lake that has become a haven for bird life.[3]
The homestead is 3 kilometres from the nearby historic Hamelin Pool Telegraph Station[4] and Post Office. The lease has approximately 32 kilometres of shoreline[1] on the hypersaline Hamelin Pool Embayment which feature some of the best living stromatolite formations[1] in the world.
Early years
Parts of the station were taken up in the early 1900's. At that time J. T. Martin, of Roebourne, had leases in the Hamelin Pool area consisting of 135,000 acres which were unimproved and Messrs Connor, Doherty, and Durack had 94,000 acres adjoining Martin's leases. Both of these leases were sold to the Flintcliff Pastoral Company in July 1907. [5] The Flintcliff Pastoral Company (Mr Frank Cadd) who variously named the leases as Boolagoora or Flint Cliff Station sold the combined leases to Messrs. Ayliffe and Musk a short time before March 1919.
It was reported in March 1919 the station was sold to the Hamelin Pastoral Company. At that time the combined lease comprised of some 500,000 acres and has not been expanded since. It then became known as Hamelin Station. At the time it was reported then to be carrying 10,000 sheep, some horses and a number of camels.[6] [7] later than The lack of readily available surface or shallow ground water necessitated the drilling of deep artesian and sub artesian bores.[2][3]
The homestead is constructed from compacted coquina shell blocks mined from the nearby coast.[8]
Never a highly productive station because of the semi saline water from the artesian bores[2] its sheep numbers varied widely between 10,000 and 26,400;[9] in 1977 it was sold with a guaranteed 18,000 sheep,[10] although this number was subsequently disputed.[10]
Events
The station was purchased from the Hamelin Pastoral Company by grazier Richard (Dick) Vincent in 1970, and subsequently sold to pastoralist Les Schubert in 1974[10] and managed by his son Philip for a number of years before being sold to the politician Ross Lightfoot.[10]
For many years feral goats were abundant on the property thriving on the low scrubland of the area.[11] The Schubert family in 1976 mustered and shipped over 3,000 goats to the Middle East from the property.[10]
De-stocking and conservation
The Wake family subsequently purchased it in 1979 before selling it to Bush Heritage Australia in March 2015.[12] It is now known as Hamelin Station Reserve. [13]
Since that time all stock have been removed from the station and the artificial watering points shut down.[1]
The shearer's quarters have been renovated and now serve as a tourist and camping facility for visitors to the area.[14]
References
- ^ a b c d e Bush Heritage Australia. "Hamelin". Bush Heritage Australia. Bush Heritage Australia. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
- ^ a b c Department of Water. "Carnarvon Artesian Basin Water Management Plan" (PDF). West Australian Department of Water. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
- ^ a b "Through the Pastoral Country". Geraldton Guardian. Vol. XXI, , no. 4837. Western Australia. 21 June 1928. p. 2. Retrieved 14 September 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ Moynihan, J. F.; Telecom Australia (1994). The Hamelin Pool Telegraph Station. Telecom Australia.
- ^ "A NEW FIRM OF STOCK AND STATION AGENTS". Northern Times. Vol. II, , no. 99. Western Australia. 13 July 1907. p. 2. Retrieved 15 September 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ "Pastoral Notes". The Murchison Times And Day Dawn Gazette. Vol. 25, , no. 29. Western Australia. 14 March 1919. p. 3. Retrieved 15 September 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ "HAMELIN POOL". Northern Times. Vol. XXII, , no. 1078. Western Australia. 5 November 1926. p. 5. Retrieved 15 September 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ https://www.sharkbay.org/place/hamelin-pool/
- ^ "Pastoral Pars". Sunday Times (Perth). No. 1613. Western Australia. 23 December 1928. p. 7 (Second Section). Retrieved 15 September 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b c d e Schubert, L. A. (Leslie Arthur), 1922-2012 (1994), Wiping out the tracks: The Odyssey Continues / by Leslie A. Schubert, Blue Bay Publishers, ISBN 0646178938
- ^ Agricultural Protection Board. "Trial use of 1080 to control feral goats in Western Australia" (PDF). Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
- ^ https://www.bushheritage.org.au/blog/hamelin-station-stay-first-season-under-bush-herit
- ^ "Former Shark Bay sheep station becomes conservation treasure trove". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
- ^ https://www.hamelinstationstay.com.au