Mulga Downs Station

{{Short description|Pastoral lease in Western Australia}}

{{Use Australian English|date=October 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Location map|Western Australia|label=Mulga Downs Station

|position=right

|lat_deg=22.101|lat_dir=S

|lon_deg=118.47|lon_dir=E

|caption=Location in Western Australia}}

{{coord|22.101|S|118.47|E|type:landmark_region:AU|name=Mulga Downs|display=title}}

Image:Cloudbreak Mine - Pilbara WA-2008.jpg

Mulga Downs Station is a pastoral lease that once operated as a sheep station but is currently operating as a cattle station in Western Australia.

It is located {{convert|96|km|0|abbr=on}} north east of Tom Price and {{convert|167|km|0|abbr=on}} south west of Marble Bar in the Pilbara region.

The property currently occupies an area of {{convert|385000|ha|acre|0|abbr=on}}, including parts of the Fortescue River floodplain and the Chichester Range; the homestead is situated near the northern boundary of the property about {{convert|50|km|0|abbr=on}} north of the ghost town of Wittenoom.{{cite web|url=http://www.mcmservices.com.au/project/mulga-downs-homestead|title=Mulga Downs Homestead|year=2008|accessdate=19 October 2013|publisher=McMahon Services}} Almost the entire area is covered by granted mining tenements or applications that are pending. The Cloud Break mine, operated by Fortescue Metals Group, is situated within the boundaries of the station.{{cite web|url=http://www.dmp.wa.gov.au/wardens_court/2010WAMW7.pdf|title=FMG Chichester Pty. Ltd. vs Rinehart & ORS 2010 WAMW7|date=21 May 2010|accessdate=19 October 2013|publisher=Mining Warden}}

The Lockyer brothers owned the property in 1891, and transferred 3,000 sheep, 300 cattle and 300 horses from another of their properties, Cooya Pooya, to Mulga Downs for fattening the same year.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3023988 |title=Nor'-West news |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=27 August 1891 |accessdate=20 October 2013 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Following the death of George Lockyer in 1893,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3054098 |title=Nor'-West news |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=28 October 1893 |accessdate=20 October 2013 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}} the property was advertised in 1894. At this time it consisted of {{convert|830000|acre|ha|0|abbr=on}} and was carrying a flock of 3,200 sheep, 300 cattle and 230 horses. Improvements listed included having 30 wells, {{convert|70|mi|0|abbr=on}} of fencing, and three secure sheep paddocks with numerous huts and sheds. The country was described as "first class mulga saltbush, cotton and blue bush, heavily grassed with weeping, silver plain, flinders and other grasses".{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3061445 |title=Classified Advertising. |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=9 May 1894 |accessdate=20 October 2013 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}

In 1894 Burges and Sons sold Mulga Downs to the Union Bank of Australia for £6,000.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article33110833 |title=Roebourne News. |newspaper=Western Mail |location=Perth |date=1 December 1894 |accessdate=20 October 2013 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}} It was then put up for auction in 1898, advertised as embracing nearly {{convert|1000000|acre|ha|0|abbr=on}} with {{convert|100|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} double frontage to the Fortescue River. At the time only {{convert|150000|acre|ha|0|abbr=on}} were stocked with 18,000 sheep and 300 horses.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3190911 |title=Classified Advertising. |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=24 December 1897 |accessdate=20 October 2013 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Frank Wittenoom acquired Mulga Downs in the early 1900s.{{cite web|url=http://www.wanowandthen.com/wittenoom.html|title=Wittenoom|year=2010|accessdate=20 October 2013|publisher=WA Now and Then}} Wittenoom was in partnership with S.L. Burges and they suffered many problems with dingos through 1908,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74880219 |title=Chas. Hormann's report |newspaper=The Northern Times |location=Carnarvon, Western Australia |date=22 August 1908 |accessdate=20 October 2013 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}} to the point where it was thought the station had been abandoned.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37814236 |title=Pests of the pastoral industry |newspaper=Western Mail |location=Perth |date=17 October 1908 |accessdate=20 October 2013 |page=16 |via=National Library of Australia}} They switched from sheep to cattle in 1909 then switched back again in 1910, stocking the property with 2,700 sheep in 1911 and adding more fencing and wells.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74888245 |title=Mulga Downs |newspaper=The Northern Times |location=Carnarvon, Western Australia |date=3 June 1911 |accessdate=20 October 2013 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}} The property was in decline from 1902 to 1915 when Wittenoom employed George Hancock as the manager. Hancock turned the fortunes of Mulga Downs around and Wittenoom rewarded him with a 25% stake in the property. Hancock promptly sold his share of Ashburton Downs Station, which he had inherited from his father, and focused his energy into improving Mulga Downs further.{{cite web|url=http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/PrintSingleRecord/2b454257-175e-419b-8760-6e24973699be|title=Old Wittenoom Townsite|date=30 January 2010|accessdate=20 October 2013|publisher=Heritage Council of Western Australia}} Lang Hancock, George's son, took over management of the property in 1935 at the age of 26 following the retirement of his father. He later discovered and started mining asbestos at Wittenoom Gorge and then discovered the iron ore deposits in the Hamersley Range.

The station was isolated by floodwaters in 1947 when the station manager's son became ill. Lang Hancock rescued the boy in his plane, a Moth Minor, after the Royal Flying Doctor Service plane was thought to be too heavy to land safely.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article78212042 |title=Lands plane in bush |newspaper=The Daily News |location=Perth |date=29 March 1947 |accessdate=20 October 2013 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}

The property was still carrying sheep and producing wool in 1954,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52966613 |title=Wool Sales Tone More Buoyant. |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=25 November 1954 |accessdate=20 October 2013 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}} but later switched to cattle.

In 1967 Mulga Downs encompassed an area of {{convert|750000|acre|ha|0|abbr=on}} and was still owned by Lang Hancock and his sister.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article106955522 |title=Officials try to ignore the wealthy iron man of WA.|newspaper=The Canberra Times |date=5 January 1967|accessdate=20 October 2013|page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}

In 2006 large bushfires burnt across the Pilbara for over a week with over {{convert|150000|ha|acre|0|abbr=on}} of bushland and rangeland in and around the station being consumed.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-11-20/public-warned-of-pilbara-bushfires/1313780|title=Public warned of Pilbara bushfires|date=2006-11-29|accessdate=4 May 2014|publisher=ABC News|location=Australia}}

Approximately 6,500 head of branded cattle and 1,200 feral cattle were grazing the property in 2009, which had an annual turn-off of 3,500 head.

In 2013 Hancock Prospecting lodged documents with the Department of Environment seeking approval to construct a {{convert|5000000|MT|LT|0|adj=on|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} iron ore operation from a {{convert|2.5|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} long pit located about {{convert|3.5|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} from the homestead.{{cite web|url=http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/17966566/rinehart-to-dig-up-family-cattle-station/|title=Rinehart to dig up family cattle station|author=Nick Evans|date=12 July 2013|accessdate=19 October 2013|work=The West Australian|publisher=Yahoo7}}