Argadargada Station

It is situated about {{convert|140|km|mi|0}} south of Alpurrurulam and {{convert|480|km|mi|0}} north east of Alice Springs. The property shares a boundary with Annitowa and Ooratippra to the west, Lucy Creek and Manners Creek Station to the south, Lake Nash and Georgina Downs to the east and the Atnetye Aboriginal Land Trust to the south.{{cite web|url=http://pitac.org.au/wp-content/documents2/Part_B_Checklist/4._NT_Pastoral_Map_June_2013.pdf |title=Northern Territory Pastoral Properties |year=2003 |access-date=21 April 2015 |publisher=Northern Territory Government |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409202959/http://pitac.org.au/wp-content/documents2/Part_B_Checklist/4._NT_Pastoral_Map_June_2013.pdf |archive-date=9 April 2015 }} The property is bisected by the Sandover Highway.

The {{cvt|5139|km2}} property has a mix of terrain including open flat plains of Mitchell grass, buffel and Flinders grass over massive portions, and a mix of slightly undulating country with other sections of break-away country to the southern parts of the leasehold. Vegetation found within the boundaries includes mulga, bloodwood, gidyea, coolabah, ghost gum with an area of soft spinifex. The Sandover River passes through the property, providing flood-out country. In 2010 Argadargada was stocked with around 6,000 head cattle, mostly Charbray, Charolais and Bos Indicus breeds.{{cite web|url=https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-livestock-nt-alice+springs-7284238|title=Argadargada Station, Alice Springs, NT 0870|date=24 June 2010|access-date=13 April 2020|publisher=realestate.com.au}}

The traditional owners of the area are the Yaroinga people, who inhabited around {{convert|11,900|mi2|km2}} of country straddling both the Northern Territory and Queensland, including Argadargada toward the western edge of their range.{{Cite book| chapter = Jaroinga (NT)

| last = Tindale | first = Norman Barnett

| author-link = Norman Tindale

| year = 1974

| title = Aboriginal Tribes of Australia: Their Terrain, Environmental Controls, Distribution, Limits, and Proper Names

| publisher = Australian National University Press

| chapter-url = http://archives.samuseum.sa.gov.au/tindaletribes/jaroinga.htm

| isbn = 978-0-708-10741-6

}}

Bores were sunk in the area in 1918 a few miles west of the Argadargada waterhole.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3288130 |title=G.N 14.18 |newspaper=Northern Territory Times and Gazette |location=Northern Territory, Australia |date=9 March 1918 |access-date=13 April 2020 |page=22 |via=Trove }}

The station was established in 1951 by Damian Miller and Milton Willick,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59836860 |title=Development of New Leases |newspaper=Centralian Advocate |location=Northern Territory, Australia |date=20 July 1951 |access-date=13 April 2020 |page=5 |via=Trove }} who had a difficult time with the property, losing 1,300 head of cattle in 1953–54 to gidgee poisoning. In 1954 Calder joined the partnership and became the manager before they sold the station in 1964.{{Cite news|title=Station History: Argadargada|last=Forrest|first=Peter|date=15 February 1985|work=Centralian Advocate}} The property occupied an area of {{cvt|1600|sqmi}} when it was first taken up, and construction of the homestead began in or after 1952. Milton and Phyllis Willick lived in tents until all materials arrived.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article97012356 |title=New Generation of Pioneers In "The Centre" |newspaper=Queensland Country Life |location=Queensland, Australia |date=7 August 1952 |access-date=13 April 2020 |page=8 |via=Trove }}

The lessee of the station in 1998 was Dick Rogers when the property was {{cvt|5051|km2}} in size and the land resources were mapped and surveyed with 35 land units{{clarify|date=June 2021}} identified and described.{{cite web|url=https://www.territorystories.nt.gov.au/jspui/bitstream/10070/240038/1/The_Land_Resources_of_Argadargada.pdf|title=The Land Resources of Argadargada Station|author1=S.Reu|author2=V.Garbon|date=1 February 1998|access-date=13 April 2020|publisher=Natural Resources Division}}

The Broad family bought the property in 2003 for {{AUD}}3 million.{{cite web|url=https://www.afr.com/companies/agriculture/arg-deal-beefs-up-nt-cattle-baron-s-realm-20100719-iv4k1|title=‘Arg’ deal beefs up NT cattle baron’s realm|author=Matthew Cranston|date=19 July 2010|access-date=13 April 2020|work=The Australian Financial Review|publisher=Fairfax Media}}

In 2010, Peter Hughes of the Georgina Pastoral Company acquired the property for {{AUD}}5 million from the Broad family. The company also own the adjoining property Lake Nash Station.{{cite web|url=https://www.fionalake.com.au/blog/news-agriculture/agricultural-news-property-sales/argadargada-station-sold-to-peter-hughes/|title=Argadargada Station sold to Peter Hughes|author=Fiona Lake|date=21 July 2010|access-date=13 April 2020|publisher=Fiona Lake}}

The Rushton family moved to Argadargada in 2017 to manage the property for the Georgina Pastoral Company.{{cite web|url=https://www.qt.com.au/news/family-moves-from-town-to-isolated-nt-station/3146009/#/0|title=Family moves from town to isolated NT station|author=Andrea Davy|date=21 February 2017|access-date=13 April 2020|work=The Queensland Times|publisher=News Corporation}}

• List of ranches and stations

{{Reflist}}

Category:Stations in the Northern Territory