{{Short description|Pastoral lease in Western Australia}} {{Use Australian English|date=November 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Location map|Western Australia|label=Meda Station |position=bottom |lat_deg=17.368|lat_dir=S |lon_deg=123.996|lon_dir=E |caption=Location in Western Australia}} {{coord|17.368|S|123.996|E|type:landmark_region:AU|name=Meda|display=title}} '''Meda Station''', often referred to as '''Meda River Station''', is a pastoral lease in Western Australia that once operated as a sheep station but presently operates as a cattle station.
Situated about {{convert|38|km|mi|0}} east of Derby and about {{convert|76|km|mi|0}} north of Looma in the Kimberley region, it is between the Meda and Lennard Rivers. The country is well timbered with open grassy plains.<ref name=R1/> A neighbouring property is Kimberley Downs Station.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41673940 |title=Kimberleys Tragedy |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth|date=4 April 1938 |accessdate=11 November 2013 |page=13 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
The property occupies an area of {{convert|5059|km2|sqmi|0}} and supports a herd of approximately 25,000 Brahman cattle. It is owned by the Jumbuck Pastoral Company and has been managed by Troy Haslet since 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jumbuckpastoral.com/pages/stations/meda.html|title=Meda|year=2013|accessdate=10 November 2013|publisher=Jumbuck Pastoral|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110105333/http://www.jumbuckpastoral.com/pages/stations/meda.html|archivedate=10 November 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
The property was established prior to 1883; a station employee, Henry Thomas Best, died on Meda that year.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2990610 |title=Family Notices. |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=23 February 1884 |accessdate=10 November 2013|page=2|publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> By 1885 the property was owned by Messrs Marmion and Co. and was hit by severe flooding. Over 1,300 sheep were lost at the property during a cyclone that swept through the area.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2997544 |title=Local Telegrams |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=21 April 1885 |accessdate=10 November 2013 |page=3 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In 1891 shearing produced 100 bales of wool.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article33068032 |title=West Kimberley news |newspaper=Western Mail |location=Perth|date=3 October 1891 |accessdate=10 November 2013 |page=15 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Record flooding hit the area in 1894 following a cyclone. The station manager reported to Marmion that another 1,300 sheep had been lost in the cyclone. Fifteen Aboriginal people and an estimated 20,000 sheep were drowned during the floods, which left miles of country underwater.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3058604 |title=Terrible floods in the Kimberley district|newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=27 February 1894 |accessdate=10 November 2013 |page=5 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Meda was placed on the market for auction in 1897 and advertised as occupying an area of {{convert|350000|acre|ha|0}} and being stocked with 8,900 sheep and 9 horses.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3184133 |title=Classified Advertising. |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=21 September 1897 |accessdate=10 November 2013 |page=8 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> It sold at the reserve price of £5,000 to William Silas Pearse.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3186148 |title=News and notes |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth|date=19 October 1897 |accessdate=10 November 2013|page=4 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The following year all of the stock was sold off from the property; a total of 6,400 sheep were advertised for sale.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3209355 |title=Classified Advertising. |newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=28 October 1898 |accessdate=10 November 2013 |page=8 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> thumb|right|alt=Historical photograph|Stock and horses in yards at Meda Station in 1915 The property was acquired by the Emanuel brothers after 1897;<ref name=R2>{{cite web|url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/emanuel-isidore-samuel-352|title=Emanuel, Isadore Samuel (1860–1954)|author=G. C. Bolton|work=Australian Dictionary of Biography|year=1981|access-date=9 November 2013|publisher=Australian Dictionary of Biography}}</ref> the Emanuels were in business with Pearse and together they owned some {{convert|795000|acre|ha|0}} of leases in the Kimberley. In 1908 all of the squatters were under fire as being part of a "meat ring", a virtual monopoly of the meat trade in Western Australia.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article57583956 |title=A gigantic land grab |newspaper=Sunday Times |location=Perth |date=2 August 1908 |accessdate=10 November 2013 |page=3 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Meda experienced a heavy rainfall event in 1914 with {{convert|9|in|mm|0}} of rain recorded in one fall.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75101523 |title=The Weathee – Great rain fall in Broome|newspaper=The Northern Times |location=Carnarvon, Western Australia |date=17 January 1914|accessdate=10 November 2013|page=5|publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Widespread flooding washed away miles of fencing at Meda.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37965534 |title=Farm & Station |newspaper=Western Mail |location=Perth |date=6 February 1914 |accessdate=11 November 2013 |page=3 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The following year the property was carrying approximately 33,000 head of cattle.<ref name=R1>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59619312 |title=Around Australia |newspaper=The Register |location=Adelaide |date=28 September 1915 |accessdate=11 November 2013 |page=6 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
In 1943 the station manager, Gordon Harold Smith, was killed at Meda while mustering cattle. His horse fell and Smith received fatal injuries as a result.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article78454417 |title=Jap Base In Celebes Devastated. |newspaper=The Daily News |location=Perth |date=17 June 1943 |accessdate=11 November 2013 |page=11|publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Heavy rainfall was again recorded in 1945 with another {{convert|9|in|mm|0|adj=on}} downpour, which arrived shortly after a dry spell.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45000230 |title=Kimberley Downpour|newspaper=The West Australian |location=Perth |date=7 March 1945 |accessdate=11 November 2013 |page=4 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In the 1970s approximately {{convert|2000|ha|acre|0}} from the station were excised by the Lands Department of Western Australia. The land was to be regenerated following land degradation from overstocking. In 1978 the Institute of Ecotechnics acquired the lease known as Birdwood Downs, commencing land care work and offering tourist accommodation shortly afterwards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.birdwooddowns.com/History.html|title=Birdwood Downs – History|year=2010|accessdate=2 December 2013|publisher=Birdwood Downs Company}}</ref>
==See also== *List of ranches and stations *List of pastoral leases in Western Australia *List of the largest stations in Australia
==References== {{Reflist}} {{Stations of the Kimberley Western Australia}}
Category:Homesteads in Western Australia Category:Stations in the Kimberley (Western Australia)