{{Short description|Pastoral lease in Northern Territory, Australia}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}} {{Location map|Northern Territory|label=Moroak Station|position=bottom|lat_deg=14.823|lat_dir=S|lon_deg=133.702|lon_dir=E|caption=Location in Northern Territory}} {{coord|14.823|S|133.702|E|type:landmark_region:AU|name=Moroak|display=title}} '''Moroak Station''' is a pastoral lease that operates as a cattle station in the Northern Territory, Australia.
==Location== The property is situated approximately {{convert|70|km|mi|0}} east of Mataranka and {{convert|98|km|mi|0}} north east of Larrimah. The Roper River flows through the property and acts as the southern boundary of Moroak and the northern boundary of Elsey Station.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.artsandmuseums.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/16992/MAGNTResearchReportNo12_RoperRiverfreshwaterfishessurvey_November2008.pdf|title=Roper River (Moroak and Elsey) freshwater fishes survey|author1=Gavin Dally|author2=Helen K. Larson|date=1 November 2008|accessdate=2 June 2014|publisher=Northern Territory Government|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140608213516/http://www.artsandmuseums.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/16992/MAGNTResearchReportNo12_RoperRiverfreshwaterfishessurvey_November2008.pdf|archive-date=8 June 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Moroak is bounded to the north by Mountain Valley Station, to the west by Goondooloo Station and to the east by Flying Fox Station.<ref>{{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=5 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|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
==Description== Occupying an area of {{convert|1427|km2|sqmi|0}},<ref name=BC2025>{{cite web|author=Linda Rowley|title=$50m+ anticipated for NT’s Moroak and Goondooloo|website=Beef Central|publisher=Beef Central|location=Bulimba, Queensland|date=28 February 2025|url=https://www.beefcentral.com/property/50m-anticipated-for-nts-moroak-and-goondooloo/|access-date=24 May 2026}}</ref> the station is not especially large by Australian standards, but it is still larger than several countries (e.g., São Tomé and Príncipe, Kiribati, Bahrain). The terrain is mostly flat with open grassy plains, woodlands and some hilly areas. The Roper River flows through the property, and there are many dams, waterholes and creeks.<ref name=BC2025/> Infrastructure includes more than 700 km of fencing, a large homestead set on the banks of the Roper River, staff accommodation, numerous sheds and five cattle yards, each with its own stock camp.<ref name=R1>{{cite web|url=http://www.realestate.com.au/property-livestock-nt-katherine-7641379|title=RSD 1705 Roper Highway Katherine NT 0850|year=2013|access-date=24 May 2026|publisher=realestate.com.au|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140602195752/http://www.realestate.com.au/property-livestock-nt-katherine-7641379|archive-date=2 June 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==History== The traditional owners of the area are the Mangarayi people. Some of the Mangarayi work as rangers along the river.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://laptop.deh.gov.au/water/publications/action/nawfa-indigenous-water-value-factsheet.html|title=Indigenous Water Values and Water Management on the Upper Roper River, Northern Territory|year=2012|accessdate=2 June 2014|publisher=Australian Government}}</ref>
Arnold Alfred Thick owned the property in 1950.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49475063|title=Heavy fine for killing a Bullock|newspaper=The Northern Standard|location=Darwin, Northern Territory|date=29 September 1950|access-date=24 May 2026|page=6|publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The pastoral leasehold was transferred to John Lesley Stuart MacFarlane and his family in 1951.<ref name=Gosford2016>{{cite web|author=Bob Gosford|title=Les MacFarlane C.M.G. of Moroak: Cattleman, politician and racist?|website=The Northern Myth|date=7 February 2016|url=https://www.thenorthernmyth.com/2016/02/07/les-macfarlane-of-moroak-cattleman-politician-racist/|access-date=24 May 2026}}</ref> McFarlane was a member for the locality of Elsey in the Northern Territory Government for many years.<ref name=BC2025/> In 1962, in one of the last of the major overland Australian droving trips, MacFarlane commissioned Joe Groves to move over 1,000 head of cattle from Moroak to the Dajarra railhead in western Queensland. In 1985, MacFarlane sold the station to his son, Tim. He died in early 1986 and was buried at Moroak Station.<ref name=Gosford2016/>
Tony Davis — who also owned Limbunya Station — acquired the property in 2004<ref name=R2>{{cite web|url=http://www.northqueenslandregister.com.au/news/agriculture/agribusiness/general-news/roots-run-deep-at-moroak/2505333.aspx|title=Roots run deep at Moroak |author=Jim Pola|date=3 April 2012|accessdate=2 June 2014|work=North Queensland Register|publisher=Fairfax Media}}</ref> for {{AUD}}10 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/barefoot-cattleman-walking-on-gold/story-e6frg6po-1111115917502|title=Barefoot cattleman walking on gold|author=Paul Toohey|date=29 March 2008|accessdate=2 June 2014|work=The Australian|publisher=News Limited}}</ref> In 2013 Moroak was run in conjunction with Goondooloo, and together the leases occupy an area of {{convert|2329|km2|sqmi|0}}; the lands were stocked with 25,000 head of Brahman cattle.<ref name=R1/> Between 2004 and 2014 Davis built 40 additional dams, had the property completely fenced and made improvements to the homestead. Tony and Pam Davis sold the property in 2015 to Donald Hoar, who had previously managed Balfour Downs Station.<ref name=BC2025/>
==See also== *List of pastoral leases in the Northern Territory
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Stations in the Northern Territory