This is a list of the largest stations in Australia, which includes stations with an area in excess of 4,000 km (1,500 sq mi).
All of the largest pastoral leases are located in the states of South Australia (SA), Queensland (QLD) and Western Australia (WA); or in the Northern Territory (NT).
The vast majority are cattle stations, with no sheep stations among the ten largest. Most of the properties are owned by pastoral companies such as Australian Agricultural Company, Consolidated Pastoral Company, S. Kidman & Co Ltd, North Australian Pastoral Company, Heytesbury Pty. Ltd., Paraway Pastoral Company and the Jumbuck Pastoral Company.
This list includes the stations in Australia by virtue of area:
Rank | Station | State | Area (km) | Area (mi) | Area (acre) | Stock | Year est. | Notes | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Anna Creek | SA | 23,677 | 9,140 | 5,850,000 | Cattle | 1863 | Grazed sheep originally, world's largest station. Area includes both Anna Creek and the Peake outstation combined. | |
2 | Clifton Hills | SA | 17,000 | 6,560 | 4,200,000 | Cattle | before 1881 | Second largest station in SA | |
3 | Alexandria | NT | 16,116 | 6,220 | 3,980,000 | Cattle | 1877 | Largest station in NT | |
4 | Davenport Downs | QLD | 15,100 | 5,830 | 3,730,000 | Cattle | before 1878 | Largest station in Qld. Area includes both Davenport Downs and Springvale station combined. | |
5 | Home Valley | WA | 14,164 | 5,470 | 3,500,000 | Cattle | 1926 | Largest station in WA. Area includes Home Valley, Karunjie and Durack River stations combined. Owned by Indigenous Land Corporation. | |
6 | Innamincka | SA | 13,552 | 5,230 | 3,350,000 | Cattle | 1872 | Third largest station in SA. Size once estimated at 10,000 sq mi (25,900 km) | |
7 | Wave Hill | NT | 13,500 | 5,210 | 3,340,000 | Cattle | 1883 | Second largest station in NT | |
8 | Marion Downs | QLD | 12,460 | 4,810 | 3,080,000 | Cattle | before 1878 | Second largest station in QLD | |
9 | Brunette Downs | NT | 12,212 | 4,720 | 3,020,000 | Cattle | 1883 | Third largest station in NT | |
10 | Quinyambie | SA | 12,141 | 4,690 | 3,000,000 | Cattle | 1872 | Area quoted is maximum figure quoted as nearly 3 million acres | |
11 | De Grey Station | WA | 12,141 | 4,690 | 3,000,000 | Cattle | 1869 | Second largest station in WA. Area figure may be disputed, in 1886 the area quoted was "nearly three millions of acres", and would include the Pardoo outstation | |
12 | Lake Nash | NT | 12,000 | 4,630 | 2,970,000 | Cattle | before 1879 | Area includes the Lake Nash, Georgina Downs and Argadargada leases. | |
13 | Macumba | SA | 11,063 | 4,270 | 2,730,000 | Cattle | before 1874 | ||
14 | Andado | NT | 10,850 | 4,190 | 2,680,000 | Cattle | 1880 | ||
15 | Bulloo Downs | QLD | 10,700 | 4,130 | 2,640,000 | Cattle | 1884 | ||
15 | Newcastle Waters | NT | 10,353 | 4,000 | 2,560,000 | Cattle | 1883 | Area includes the Powell Creek and Tandyidgee pastoral leases. | |
16 | Helen Springs | NT | 10,198 | 3,940 | 2,520,000 | Cattle | before 1885 | Area includes both Helen Springs and Brunchilly outstation combined. | |
17 | Rawlinna | WA | 10,117 | 3,910 | 2,500,000 | Sheep | 1962 | Largest sheep station in WA, Australia and World | |
18 | Headingly Station | QLD | 10,032 | 3,870 | 2,480,000 | Cattle | 1881 | Area includes Headingly, Carandotta and Wolgra leases | |
19 | Commonwealth Hill Station | SA | 10,000 | 3,860 | 2,470,000 | Sheep | 1890 | Area includes both Commonwealth Hill and Mobella outstation combined. Biggest sheep station in SA, second largest sheep station in Australia | |
20 | Walhallow Station | NT | 9,997 | 3,860 | 2,470,000 | Cattle | 1881 | ||
21 | Ruby Plains | WA | 9,674 | 3,740 | 2,390,000 | Cattle | 1889 | Area includes both Ruby Plains and Sturt Creek outstation combined. | |
22 | Anthony Lagoon & Eva Downs | NT | 9,349 | 3,610 | 2,310,000 | Cattle | ? | Both Anthony Lagoon and Eva Downs operate as one entity | |
23 | Strathmore | QLD | 9,310 | 3,590 | 2,300,000 | Cattle | ? | Largest single pastoral lease in Queensland | |
24 | Durham Downs | QLD | 8,910 | 3,440 | 2,200,000 | Cattle | 1873 | ||
25 | Victoria River Downs | NT | 8,900 | 3,440 | 2,200,000 | Cattle | 1880 | At one time was the largest station in Australia and the world covering 41,000 km | |
26 | Adria Downs | QLD | 8,750 | 3,380 | 2,160,000 | Cattle | before 1912 | ||
27 | Nockatunga | QLD | 8,500 | 3,280 | 2,100,000 | Cattle | 1870 | ||
28 | Tanbar | QLD | 8,300 | 3,200 | 2,050,000 | Cattle | before 1884 | ||
29 | Manners Creek | NT | 8,090 | 3,120 | 2,000,000 | Cattle | 1880 | ||
29 | Cordillo Downs | SA | 7,800 | 3,010 | 1,930,000 | Cattle | 1872 | Grazed sheep until 1942 and was once regarded as Australia's largest sheep station. | |
30 | Dunbar | QLD | 7,770 | 3,000 | 1,920,000 | Cattle | before 1883 | ||
31 | Arrabury | QLD | 7,600 | 2,930 | 1,880,000 | Cattle | before 1887 | ||
32 | Naryilco | QLD | 7,510 | 2,900 | 1,860,000 | Cattle | before 1880 | ||
33 | Mount Doreen | NT | 7,337 | 2,830 | 1,810,000 | Cattle | 1932 | ||
34 | Nappa Merrie | QLD | 7,275 | 2,810 | 1,800,000 | Cattle | 1871 | ||
35 | Todmorden Station | SA | 7,169 | 2,768 | 1,771,000 | Cattle | |||
36 | Madura | WA | 7,082 | 2,730 | 1,750,000 | Sheep | 1876 | Originally settled to breed horses for British Army in India | |
35 | Gogo | WA | 7,082 | 2,730 | 1,750,000 | Cattle | 1885 | ||
37 | Billa Kalina | SA | 7,000 | 2,700 | 1,730,000 | Cattle | ? | Includes the Miller's Creek lease. | |
38 | Mittiebah | NT | 6,955 | 2,690 | 1,720,000 | Cattle | 1877 | ||
39 | Glenormiston | QLD | 6,920 | 2,670 | 1,710,000 | Cattle | before 1881 | ||
40 | Balfour Downs | WA | 6,800 | 2,630 | 1,680,000 | Cattle | before 1910 | ||
41 | Durrie Station | QLD | 6,600 | 2,550 | 1,630,000 | Cattle | before 1908 | ||
42 | Moola Bulla | WA | 6,600 | 2,550 | 1,630,000 | Cattle | 1910 | ||
43 | Stuart Creek | SA | 6,500 | 2,510 | 1,610,000 | Cattle | |||
44 | Milly Milly | WA | 6,475 | 2,500 | 1,600,000 | Sheep | before 1879 | Also has a small herd of cattle | |
45 | Coorabulka | QLD | 6,370 | 2,460 | 1,570,000 | Cattle | before 1882 | ||
46 | Morney Plains | QLD | 6,240 | 2,410 | 1,540,000 | Cattle | before 1876 | ||
47 | Etadunna | QLD | 6,216 | 2,400 | 1,540,000 | Cattle | before 1867 | ||
48 | Tobermorey | NT | 5,994 | 2,310 | 1,480,000 | Cattle | before 1911 | ||
49 | Mount Margaret | QLD | 5,990 | 2,310 | 1,480,000 | Cattle | before 1925 | Has also previously been used for grazing sheep | |
50 | Keeroongooloo | QLD | 5,814 | 2,240 | 1,440,000 | Cattle | 1871 | Has also previously been used for grazing horses when established | |
51 | Mulka | SA | 5,600 | 2,160 | 1,380,000 | Cattle | before 1889 | ||
52 | Elsey | NT | 5,334 | 2,060 | 1,320,000 | Cattle | 1879 | The station that inspired the story and film We of the Never Never | |
53 | Henbury | NT | 5,273 | 2,040 | 1,300,000 | Cattle | 1875 | Became a conservation area in 2011 | |
54 | Limbunya | NT | 5,222 | 2,020 | 1,290,000 | Cattle | before 1923 | ||
55 | Argadargada | NT | 5,139 | 1,980 | 1,270,000 | Cattle | 1951 | ||
56 | Diamantina Lakes | QLD | 5,070 | 1,960 | 1,250,000 | Cattle | 1876 | Now a National Park | |
57 | Meda | WA | 5,059 | 1,950 | 1,250,000 | Cattle | before 1883 | ||
58 | Tanumbirini | NT | 5,001 | 1,930 | 1,240,000 | Cattle | before 1908 | ||
59 | South Galway Station | QLD | 4,876 | 1,880 | 1,200,000 | Cattle | Before 1884 | ||
60 | Calvert Hills Station | NT | 4,814 | 1,860 | 1,190,000 | Cattle | |||
61 | Three Rivers | WA | 4,800 | 1,850 | 1,190,000 | Sheep | 1884 | ||
62 | Wilgena | SA | 4,742 | 1,830 | 1,170,000 | Sheep | before 1909 | Once used to graze cattle | |
63 | Austral Downs | NT | 4,692 | 1,810 | 1,160,000 | Cattle | 1883 | ||
64 | Canobie | QLD | 4,291 | 1,660 | 1,060,000 | Cattle | 1864 | ||
65 | Alroy Downs | NT | 4,232 | 1,630 | 1,050,000 | Cattle | 1877 | ||
66 | Tanami Downs | NT | 4,200 | 1,620 | 1,040,000 | Cattle | before 1911 | Formerly known as Mongrel Downs | |
67 | Auvergne | NT | 4,142 | 1,600 | 1,020,000 | Cattle | before 1886 | ||
68 | Curtin Springs | NT | 4,050 | 1,560 | 1,000,000 | Cattle | 1930s | ||
69 | Millungera | QLD | 4,047 | 1,560 | 1,000,000 | Cattle | 1880 | ||
70 | Drysdale River | WA | 4,047 | 1,560 | 1,000,000 | Cattle | 1882 | ||
71 | Banjawarn | WA | 4,047 | 1,560 | 1,000,000 | Sheep | 1903 | ||
72 | El Questro Wilderness Park | WA | 4,047 | 1,560 | 1,000,000 | Cattle | 1903 | The park still runs 8,000 head of cattle. | |
73 | Louisa Downs | WA | 4,000 | 1,540 | 988,000 | Cattle | before 1933 | ||
74 | Noonkanbah | WA | 4,000 | 1,540 | 988,000 | Cattle | 1880s |
See also
- List of ranches and stations § Australia
- List of pastoral leases in the Northern Territory
- List of pastoral leases in South Australia
- List of pastoral leases in Western Australia
- Pastoral lease
References
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- Australia-related lists of superlatives
- Pastoral leases in South Australia
- Pastoral leases in Western Australia
- Pastoral leases in the Northern Territory
- Pastoral leases in Queensland
- Northern Territory-related lists
- Queensland-related lists
- South Australia-related lists
- Western Australia-related lists
- Agriculture-related lists