# Austral Downs

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**Austral Downs Station**, most commonly known as **Austral Downs**, is a cattle station on the [Barkly Tableland](/source/Barkly_Tableland) in the [Northern Territory](/source/Northern_Territory), Australia. It is situated approximately 70 kilometres (43 mi) west of [Camooweal](/source/Camooweal,_Queensland) and 250 kilometres (155 mi) north west of [Mount Isa](/source/Mount_Isa).

## Description

The Station occupies an area of 4,692 square kilometres (1,812 sq mi) and has a carrying capacity of approximately 42,000 head of [Santa Gertrudis](/source/Santa_Gertrudis_cattle) crossed with [Angus](/source/Angus_(cattle)) crossed with [Wagyu](/source/Wagyu) cattle.[1] The station is run by the [Australian Agricultural Company](/source/Australian_Agricultural_Company) in combination with Avon Downs with an area of 3,939 square kilometres (1,521 sq mi); together the properties turn off an average of 25,000 head per year.

The soil is described as being black to brown [loam](/source/Loam) with a good deal of [limestone](/source/Limestone). The rolling downs are covered in [Mitchell grass](/source/Mitchell_grass) amongst areas of [Gidyea](/source/Acacia_pruinocarpa) woodlands. The property is situated along the Herbert River and Happy Creek, both of which are [tributaries](/source/Tributary) of the [Georgina River](/source/Georgina_River).

## History

The station was established in 1883 when Richardson, Little and Carr took up a large area of land known as Austral Downs on the tableland. Initially the property was to be stocked with [sheep](/source/Sheep).[2] By mid-1884 the property was stocked with 1,400 head of cattle and 140 horses.[3] A flock of 8,200 ewes were [overlanded](/source/Overlanding) to the property later the same year.[4]

Some flooding occurred in 1885 following heavy rains, with Austral losing £1000 worth of [earthworks](/source/Earthworks_(engineering)).[5] The entire area was affected by far more severe flooding in 1901, with the station reported as having been *entirely swept away* by the combined flood waters of the [Georgina](/source/Georgina_River), Rankin and James Rivers.[6]

Brabazon and Co. bought the property in 1911.[7] At this time the station had an estimated area of 794 square miles (2,056 km2) and was sold unstocked.[8] The first commercial flight in the Northern Territory by [Qantas](/source/Qantas) carried Mr. C. J. Brabazon from [Elderslie Station](/source/Elderslie_Station) to Austral Downs in 1921.[9]

In 1925 the station was acquired by the Scottish Australian Land Company.[10] Later the same year the property was placed under [quarantine](/source/Quarantine) following an outbreak of [redwater](/source/Babesiosis) in the herd.[11]

Floods occurred in early 1927 with the crossing to the station being submerged under 6 feet (1.8 m) of water, cutting the telegraph line.[12]

The area was gripped by [drought](/source/Drought) from 1934 to mid-1935 before the property received 1.1 inches (28 mm) of rain in one day.[13]

The drought of 1952 lead to Austral and other stations trying to move all stock from their properties and trucking them to the [Mount Isa](/source/Mount_Isa) railhead to move further afield for [agistment](/source/Agistment).[14]

Later in the 1950s a rocket shelter was constructed at Austral as part of the [Woomera](/source/Woomera,_South_Australia) [space program](/source/Woomera_Test_Range).[1]

In 1980 the property was sold to [Nelson Bunker Hunt](/source/Nelson_Bunker_Hunt), an American billionaire, along with other parts of the Scottish Australian Company assets. The [Australian Agricultural Company](/source/Australian_Agricultural_Company) acquired Austral in 1990 to be run in conjunction with neighbouring Avon Downs which the company had purchased in 1921.[1]

## See also

- [List of ranches and stations](/source/List_of_ranches_and_stations)
- [List of the largest stations in Australia](/source/List_of_the_largest_stations_in_Australia)

## References

1. ["Avon and Austral Downs"](http://www.aaco.com.au/operations/properties/nt/avon-austral-downs-stations/). [Australian Agricultural Company](/source/Australian_Agricultural_Company). 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2013.

1. ["Interviewing Jack Brodie."](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article83678180). *[Queensland Figaro](/source/Queensland_Figaro)*. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 6 October 1883. p. 15. Retrieved 10 March 2013.

1. ["The Northern Territory"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article43816025). *[South Australian Register](/source/South_Australian_Register)*. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 13 August 1884. p. 7. Retrieved 10 March 2013.

1. ["Stock Movements and State or the Country."](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23974055). *[The Queenslander](/source/The_Queenslander)*. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 2 August 1884. p. 201. Retrieved 10 March 2013.

1. ["Queensland News"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3439686). *[The Brisbane Courier](/source/The_Brisbane_Courier)*. National Library of Australia. 3 March 1885. p. 5. Retrieved 10 March 2013.

1. ["Floods in the gulf"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article82323348). *[The North Queensland Register](/source/The_North_Queensland_Register)*. Townsville, Queensland: National Library of Australia. 15 April 1901. p. 5. Retrieved 10 March 2013.

1. ["Sale of Austral Downs station"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19703867). *[The Brisbane Courier](/source/The_Brisbane_Courier)*. National Library of Australia. 26 July 1911. p. 5. Retrieved 10 March 2013.

1. ["Property Sales."](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19698533). *[The Brisbane Courier](/source/The_Brisbane_Courier)*. National Library of Australia. 24 August 1911. p. 5. Retrieved 10 March 2013.

1. [""Qantas Gazette"."](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article35645807). *[The Courier-Mail](/source/The_Courier-Mail)*. Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 20 December 1934. p. 6. Retrieved 10 March 2013.

1. ["Station property sold"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20959625). *[The Brisbane Courier](/source/The_Brisbane_Courier)*. National Library of Australia. 12 September 1925. p. 8. Retrieved 10 March 2013.

1. ["Outbreak of redwater"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2151966). *[The Argus](/source/The_Argus_(Melbourne))*. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 14 October 1925. p. 28. Retrieved 10 March 2013.

1. ["Floods near Camooweal"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60731354). *[Townsville Daily Bulletin](/source/Townsville_Daily_Bulletin)*. Queensland: National Library of Australia. 16 February 1927. p. 7. Retrieved 10 March 2013.

1. ["Drought breaks"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2392443). *[The Canberra Times](/source/The_Canberra_Times)*. National Library of Australia. 8 June 1935. p. 1. Retrieved 10 March 2013.

1. ["Trek of 20,000 cattle"](http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article97007907). *[Queensland Country Life](/source/Queensland_Country_Life)*. National Library of Australia. 20 March 1952. p. 1. Retrieved 11 March 2013.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Austral Downs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austral_Downs) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austral_Downs?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.