Marqua Station

{{Short description|Pastoral lease in the Northern Territory}}

{{Use Australian English|date=April 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}

{{Location map|Northern Territory|label=Marqua

|lat_deg=22|47||55|lat_dir=S

|lon_deg=137|17|12|lon_dir=E

|caption=Location in the Northern Territory}}

{{coord|22|47|55|S|137|17|12|E|type:landmark_region:AU|name=Marqua|display=title}}

File:Don_McInnes_018.tif

Marqua Station is a pastoral lease that operates as a cattle station in the Northern Territory of Australia.

It is situated about {{convert|200|km|mi|0}} south of Alpurrurulam and {{convert|360|km|mi|0}} north east of Alice Springs. The property shares a boundary with Tarlton Downs to the west, Manners Creek Station to the north, Tobermorey 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 |accessdate=21 April 2015 |publisher=Northern Territory Government |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409202959/http://pitac.org.au/wp-content/documents2/Part_B_Checklist/4._NT_Pastoral_Map_June_2013.pdf |archivedate=9 April 2015 }} Marqua Creek, from which the station takes its name, flows through the property at the south eastern end. The property is very close to the Plenty Highway, which almost intersects the north west corner.

In June 2011 the {{cvt|4410|km2}} property was sold for {{AUD}}7.22 million on a walk-in walk-out basis.{{cite web|url=https://www.beefcentral.com/production/erldunda-sale-breathes-new-life-into-nt-property-market/|title=Erldunda sale breathes new life into NT property market|author=James Nason|date=26 October 2011|accessdate=12 April 2020|work=Beef Central|publisher=Nascon Media Pty Ltd}} The property had been acquired by John and Mary Atkins, who also own Spion Kop Station near Taroom in Queensland, who were breeding cattle at Marqua then trucking them to Spion Kop.{{cite web|url=https://www.mla.com.au/news-and-events/industry-news/archived/2017/focus-on-breeding-and-handling-underpins-msa-gains/|title=Focus on breeding and handling underpins MSA gains|date=7 December 2017|accessdate=12 April 2020|publisher=Meat and Livestock Australia Limited}}

In September of the same year the area was plagued by the largest bushfires that had been seen there since the 1970s; some {{convert|200000|acre|ha|0}} of Marqua Station was burnt out.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/site-archive/rural/news/content/201109/s3311107.htm|title=Bushfires still burning in Red Centre|date=6 September 2011|accessdate=22 April 2015|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}

After a prolonged dry period the property received {{cvt|140|mm}} of rain over four days in January 2020. The owner, Blair Power, reported roads and fencing being damaged but the country was responding well to the rains.{{cite web|url=https://www.willyweather.com.au/news/4184/central+australian+cattle+stations+repair+roads+and+fences+after+rains.html|title=Central Australian cattle stations repair roads and fences after rains|date=5 January 2020|accessdate=12 April 2020|author=Daniel Fitzgerald|publisher=WillyWeather}}