Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), Thursday 31 May 1928, page 44


GOLDFELDS PASTORAL AREAS.

Leonora to Mt. Sir Samuel.

(By "Breia.")

Travelling along the Wiluna road from Leonora one is by no means impresscd with the country as far as Mount Sir Samuel, though naturally the area passed through is by no means typical of the surrounding country. For quite fifteen or sixteen miles after leaving Leonora, the country comprises for the most part hard land, only lightly bushed and grassed, and so of a naturally light carding capacity. Sixteen miles out the boundaries of Sturt Meadows and Tarmoola stations are reached. The former is a big holding of some 750.000 acres, owned by Messrs. Hawker, Chomley, and Co., a wealthy and experienced South Australian syndicate, well known when connected with the North Bungaree merino stud and with numerous pastoral properties, McCoy's Well, Partacoona, and others. Prior to the property changing hands it was owned by Messrs. Kennedy, Brougham, and Co., who devoted it almost entirely to cattle raising. Since the new owners took over big changes have been made, and to-day almost the entire property is thoroughly improved for sheep, being well fenced and subdivided, with a plentiful supply of water. Almost fully stocked, with the country in fairly good heart, though dry, there should be a big wool clip from Sturt

Meadows this year.

On the western boundary lies another .big property in Ida Valley, owned by Sir. Arthur Male, the well-known kimberley cattle man. Up to the present Ida Valley has been used as a cattle Btation, and each -year big drafts are overlanded from Broome, principally from Mr. Male's Hoe? buck Plains Station, these being topped off, and marketed at Kalgoorlie and Mid-band" Junction. Development work is now

in progress, however,' to make the. station

ready for sheep, and in all probability a

V number will be secured this year. On . the other side of the track, adjoining Sturt

*IMPORTED FROM NEW ZEALAND :

Ryeland ewes imported by Mrs. W. G. Burses, for her

newly formed Tipperary Stud, near York, from T. A. Stephens and Son, of Canterbury, New Zealand. Thé breed ls very popular In the Dominion and England bul it as yet little known in

this State... .

Meadows on the eastern boundary, lies Tarmoola. Here another South Australian syndicate, of stud and pastoral interests, have taken up a large* .stretch of Vou ti try, which has been rapidly ; developed and stocked. Messrs. R. M. McBride and W. E.: Hawkes, the owners, are both well known in South Australia, particularly the latter, wbolias been studmaster and principal proprietor of the Koonoona me-rinos for many years. The Tarmoola coun-try is dry, hut last year's good season is standing the owners in good stead, and the sheep are in good order, whilst a big lambing is expected. *

Further to the east lies Korong Station, owned by a West Australian pastoral com-

pany, with Mr. Williams, one of the shareholders as manager. As you travel east the country shows more the effect of the long dry spell, and good rains are needed. Development work has raised

the Korong flock up to somewhere about 7,000, and despite the dry time the sheep generally are in strong order.

To the north of Korong is Burtville, u small but unimproved property, recently purchased by Mr. M." J. Brocknī', n wellknown Iamb vaiser from the South-West. Mr. Brockman has disposed of hip inter-ests in those areas, and is now developBig Burtville lu readiness for stocking up

»ff shears.

Further east again brings one to the Laverton district, and here a big area has

been taken up and developed. Big things are expected of this country, but, despite last year's good, reason, the improved

country generally is in a dry state and much in need of rain. The development of additional country is steadily continu-ing, and new paddocks will ease thc posi-

tion, of course.

To the south-east of Laverton is Mt. Weld Station. This country was taken up by the late P. D. Hutton and the Bate-

man brothers as the Mt. Weld Pastoral Co. Extensive development has already been done here, and to-day some 120,000

acres have been fenced and improved. The country as yet is not heavily stocked with sheep, there being only about 4,000 on the place but there are still a big lot of cattle running there.

North from Mt. Weld is Mt. Crawford. Messrs. Harris and Leonard's station. Con-ditions on Mt. Crawford are very dry, and some of the older sheep are showing tho effects of the season. There are about 4,000 sheep on the property; and if the season breaks soon,the lambing should increase these figures substantially

Laverton Downs, further north again is

also in a very dry state. This station is owned by Mr. F. C. Allen, a Queensland pastoralist. Improvements are still under way, and new country is being opened up.

There are more sheep here than on the southern holdings, some 5,500 being depas-tured. The country, unfortunately, looks

bare and it is to be hoped that the season

will soon break.

Continuing in a northerly direction thc nest- big propery is Erlistoun. This sta-tion is now bciiiir controlled by tho F.i l;«=tomi Past-oral Company, under the" «bli» guidance of Mr. A. Porter and his s«n There are now about 10.000 sheep on Erl is

town, including some 7,000 breeding ewes..

Unfortunately. conditions worn by no means conducive to a good lambing, andthe country was badly in need of rain.

Along the Wiluna track once morc_ we passed through nome big grass flats into breakaway country, which opens then on to pome suit wanditri country. An attrac-tive flat at Doyle's Well was an improve-ment, but- the country then ch auges again to wandari, and then to undulating iron-stone land, which runs through thc Pin-nacles boundary ott io Lawlers. -

The Pinnacle*, comprising some 800?~>00 acres of country, was originally owned by Messrs. GoerJing atid Sons, pf Marloo, in the Murchison, lt is now the property of Messrs. Manifold and Jîlaek, two wellknown Victorian pastoralists, and is man-, aged by Mr D. - Mackinnon. The exten-sive development that has been done on this property in the last titree yeats is really surprising, and this year there are some 10,000 bi ceding ewes to lamb. Ob-viously no lime has been lost.

East from Lawlers, in the Lake Dai let district, is another big belt of pastoral country, which has attracted considerable, áttention in recent years. First there is Weebo, the property purchased last year by Messrs. James and Darbyshire from Mr. W. H. Nicholls. The young owners are wasting no time in developing the country preparatory to increasing the flock. Though dry the station is in fairly good heart, while thc sheep are in strong order.

Next is the Melrose Station Company's property, COD trolled hy Mr. G. N. Robert-son, an experienced South Australian pas-toralism who is rapidly opening up the country and subdividing it. The dock here has been founded on high-class importa-tions from South Australia, and the sheep are a bulky, big-framed lot, and their con-stitution has enabled them to stand up to the dry season well.

After leaving Lawlers on the main road one passes the Leinster Downs boundary. This property is owned by Messrs. E. and H. Nairn, two well-known'and experienced Murchison pastoralists, of Yarrabubba Station- Judging from the fine draft of selected Collins rams, recently imported

by these growers from South Australia) it is their intention to build up a good flock on Leinster Downs, while the country is being improved steadily in order that tho JCMrying capacity can bo^ricreaseoV

"From Leinster Downs through Yokain li-die, to Mount Sir Samuel is most uninter-

esting, comprising for the most part hard, hglitly-grassed country. Yakabindie, which is the property of MessPs, R. H. Adamson «nd Co., is'<hy« though -in good heart, with plenty pf dry feed, whilst the stock seen were'in good heart.

pn the western boundary is Depot

Springs, recently purchased by Mr. ß. J.'

Yeo from Mr. W. N; Cock. Mr. Y co's two sons, Messrs. S. and J; Yeo, are now busy fencing and developing the country*,'

in readiness for Hie sheep which will no. doubt b« secured oif shears. Depot Springs is an attractive iioldiug, und should bè a good proposition when developed.

Generally speaking, «ll the country men-tion above is dry. but in good heart, on the western side, whilst extending cast the properties are very dry, particularly around Laverton. The sheep and cattle generally are strong, but a green bite is much necçled for thc breeding ewes. The recent rains should oa^e the position con-siderably, particularly if they are followed up by further falls m the near future.