Northern Times (Carnarvon, WA : 1905 - 1952), Saturday 18 July 1914, page 4


MILEURA

Thirty-six miles nearer to Cue, and only a few miles out of the Gascoyne electorate, is Mileura station, the property of Messrs. H.B. Walsh and Sons. The management has been in the capable hands of Mr. Wm. McIl- raith for ten years, previous to which he was well known to Upper Gas-coyne settlers in connection with Messrs. Shaw Bros. Erivilla sheep station (now Mt. Clere). Mr. and Mrs. McIlraith have made the home-stead very comfortable, and their hos-pitality enhances the pleasure of a visit. The property consists of 600,000 acres, all of which has been fenced, the cattle country being ring-fenced. The fences aggregate 300

miles in length, and one fence is 120 miles long without a break. There are forty windmills, and water can be got almost anywhere on the run at an average depth of twenty feet. The deepest well is seventy feet and the shallowest twelve feet. There are now from 1000 to 1200 head of cattle and seven to eight thousand sheep on the run, but before the drought started two years ago the sheep totalled 15,000 and the cattle 2000. Of course, a fair amount of

stock has been sold. Last year 2000 Nalpa ewes were imported from South Australia. The station owners al-

ways stick to Boonoke rams, and pride themselves on having about the best sheep round the Murchison.

The shearing has previously been done with blades, but eight stands of Wolseley machines have now been

introduced. The station is conducting its own shearing, as well as cart-ing the wool with its own team of eight camels. The country is very firm throughout, and in consequence motor bikes and other bicycles are largely utilised for the station work.

The rainfall to date amounts to 150

points. Speaking of the kangaroos, Mr. McIlraith says there are not very many about, as they have been kept down owing to an average of three to four thousand having been shot on the run during the last six

or seven years.