Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Saturday 23 May 1896, page 15


Yancannia Station.

The Wilcannia Land Board on May 14 completed taking evidence with regard to the appli-cation re the appraisement of Yancannia pastoral holding. -Mr. Shaw, manager of Yancannia, consider-ed that the carrying capacity had depreciated by more than one-fourth, owing to the rabbits. He con-sidered that the destruction of the edible scrub was of a permanent character. Wild dogs were on the increase, and the wool returns since 1889 showed a fall in prices of 50 per cent. In 1891 they lost 87,000 sheep from drought, and the total deaths dur-ing the last six years numbered 160,383 sheep. In November, 1895, cn account of the scarcity of feed, thw started 17,000 wethers to Louth, but only 4000

reached their destination, the rest having perished on the track of starvation. They had to sell 5000 at 6d per head, and the droving charges showed a loss of £400. He considered that an annual expenditure of £1500 would be required to keep the rabbit pest in check, and thought Yancannia would carry in ordinary average seasons 120,000 sheep. They had four artesian bores on the resumed area. Three of them gave a good supply, and the fourth only a small supply. An analysis of the water showed that ii might be suitable for irrigation purposes; but witness did not think so. The Crown inspector said that under existing improvements the leasehold area of Yancannia holding would carry a sheep to eight acres in ordinary average seasons, and fully Im-proved by further water conservation it would carry a sheep to seven acres.