{{Short description|Pastoral lease in South Australia}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}} {{Location map|South Australia|label=Oulnina |position=left |lat_deg=32.51325|lat_dir=S |lon_deg=140.05297|lon_dir=E |caption=Location in South Australia}} {{coord|32.51325|S|140.05297|E|type:landmark_region:AU|name=Oulnina|display=title}}
thumb|Aerial views of Oulnina Park Station at Manna Hill, South Australia.
'''Oulnina Station''' is a pastoral lease that operates as a sheep station in South Australia.
It is situated approximately {{convert|12|km|mi|0}} south east of Mannahill and {{convert|47|km|mi|0}} east of Yunta.
The property was established some time prior to 1861. In 1862, Henry Lorenzo Sprigg owned the station.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90258581 |title=Advertising. |newspaper=South Australian Weekly Chronicle |location=Adelaide |date=15 November 1862 |access-date=16 August 2014 |page=1 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Sprigg struck financial problems in 1867<ref name=R1>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72813422 |title=Advertising. |newspaper=The South Australian Advertiser |location=Adelaide |date=14 March 1867 |access-date=16 August 2014 |page=4 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and by 1868 both Oulnina and Wadnaminga Station were put up for sale.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41398688 |title=Advertising. |newspaper=South Australian Register |location=Adelaide |date=14 October 1868 |access-date=16 August 2014 |page=4 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The two runs occupied a combined area of {{convert|900|sqmi|km2|0}} and were stocked with a total of 21,800 sheep. The property had a woolshed, huts, yards and 14 wells.<ref name=R1/> The two stations were acquired by Philip Levi and Co.
In 1870 the two stations were again sold, along with other properties. By this time Oulnina and Wadnaminga were stocked with 17,000 sheep.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73056570 |title=Advertising. |newspaper=The South Australian Advertiser |location=Adelaide |date=8 August 1870 |access-date=16 August 2014 |page=4 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The area was struck by a plague of grasshoppers in 1872, causing most available feed for stock to be lost.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39260656 |title=New Books |newspaper=South Australian Register |location=Adelaide |date=6 April 1872 |access-date=16 August 2014 |page=5 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In 1880 a total of 59,095 sheep were shorn at Oulnina.<ref name="R2" />
Gold was found on Oulnina in 1885, and a syndicate was formed shortly after to work a mineral claim on the property.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article36319653 |title=The Advertiser|newspaper=The South Australian Advertiser |location=Adelaide |date=22 December 1885 |access-date=16 August 2014 |page=4 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In 1890 only 16,092 sheep were shorn at the property.<ref name=R2/>
In 1897 the property comprised {{convert|797|sqmi|km2|0}} and was divided into 17 paddocks. The flock at the time was estimated at 40,000 sheep.<ref name=R2>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article54497521 |title=The Pastoral Industry |newspaper=South Australian Register |location=Adelaide |date=20 July 1897 |access-date=16 August 2014 |page=5 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
In 1907 the property was acquired by W.J. McBride from the executors of W.H. Duncan's estate. Oulnina occupied an area of {{convert|737|sqmi|km2|0}} and was stocked with 38,597 sheep, 62 cattle and 64 horses at this time. It was divided into 38 paddocks and was fully fenced. Stock could be watered from 9 wells or 26 dams with one permanent spring. McBride paid £53,300 for the property.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article56972403 |title=Big Station sold |newspaper=The Register |location=Adelaide |date=18 January 1907 |access-date=16 August 2014 |page=4 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
In 1911,<ref name=R3>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article77481314 |title=Items of News. |newspaper=The Border Watch |location=Mount Gambier, South Australia |date=18 February 1911 |access-date=16 August 2014 |page=4 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> the property was acquired, along with nearby Outlapa Station, by Robert Crawford from R. J. McBride.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ehive.com/account/3492/object/77840/Robert_CRAWFORD_b_April_1859_Auchtermurty_SCOTLAND_d_16th_December_1931_Adelaide_SA|title=Robert Crawford, b. April 1859, Auchtermurty Scotland|date=2014|access-date=12 August 2014|publisher=eHive}}</ref> Crawford intended to subdivide Oulnina into 11 blocks and sell them.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45133492 |title=Stations near Mannahill. |newspaper=The Barrier Miner |location=Broken Hill, New South Wales |date=15 February 1911 |access-date=16 August 2014 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Oulnina comprised {{convert|776|sqmi|km2|0}} at this time. It was divided into blocks, the largest being {{convert|113|sqmi|km2|0}}, and they were put up for sale.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88682258 |title=Advertising. |newspaper=The Chronicle |location=Adelaide |date=18 February 1911 |access-date=16 August 2014 |page=26 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Many of the leases, collectively called 'Oulnina Park', were acquired by J.G. Terry, who in turn sold them off in 1917.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60322442 |title=Land Sales|newspaper=The Register |location=Adelaide |date=28 September 1917 |access-date=17 August 2014 |page=7 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> George Brooks acquired many of the lots at this point, including the homestead block of approximately {{convert|300|sqmi|km2|0}}, and retained them until his death in 1926.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/brooks-george-155|title=Brooks, George (1849–1926)|year=2014|access-date=12 August 2014|work=Obituaries Australia|publisher=Australian National University}}</ref>
Maurice Francis was the owner of the property in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://beta.theland.com.au/news/agriculture/livestock/general-news/ewes-to-144-at-yelta/2679091.aspx|title=Ewes to $144 at Yelta|author=Alistair Lawson|date=22 November 2013|access-date=12 August 2014|work=The Land}}</ref>
Michael Burdon and his family operated the station in 2017, having inherited it from his father.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://indaily.com.au/opinion/2017/08/25/words-left-unsaid-disappearance-tanja-ebert/ |title=The words left unsaid about the disappearance of Tanja Ebert |first=Elke |last=Wakefield |date=25 August 2017 |newspaper=InDaily |access-date=13 August 2021}}</ref> He is believed to have murdered his wife, Tanja Ebert, on 8 August 2017, disposing of her body on or in the vicinity of Oulnina Park Station. Burdon fatally shot himself dead at the property when police arrived on 16 August 2017 as part of their investigation into her disappearance.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-19/tanja-ebert-search-scaled-back/8823242 |title=Tanja Ebert: Police search scaled back for SA woman suspected murdered |date=19 August 2017 |access-date=13 August 2021 |work=ABC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-01/families-speak-out-after-manna-hill-suspected-murder-suicide/8863080 |title=Families of Tanja Ebert, Michael Burdon express hope and grief over suspected murder-suicide |date=1 September 2017 |access-date=13 August 2021 |work=ABC News}}</ref> The farm was offered for long term lease in March 2018.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/law-order/oulnina-park-farm-at-centre-of-tanja-eberts-disappearance-up-for-lease/news-story/bc357093137325c4fbfab97ac914fe2d |title=Oulnina Park, farm at centre of Tanja Ebert’s disappearance, up for lease |first=Mitch |last=Mott |newspaper=The Advertiser |date=21 March 2018 |access-date=13 August 2021}}</ref>
==See also== * List of ranches and stations
==References== {{Reflist}} {{Stations of South Australia}} Category:Stations in South Australia Category:Far North (South Australia)