Fossil Downs Station
Encyclopedia
Fossil Downs Station is a pastoral lease and cattle
station
located about 50 kilometres (31 mi) south east of Fitzroy Crossing
in the Kimberley region of Western Australia
.
The first Europeans to visit the area were part of Alexander Forrest
's party who passed through in 1879 followed by Charles Hall
in 1885. Hall later struck gold at Halls Creek
. The station was established the following year when cattle
arrived from the eastern states to stock the lease. The lease had been issued in 1883 to Dan MacDonald for the MacDonald family who were living in Cliffords Creek, New South Wales at the time. He applied for an area of 100 square mile at the junction of the Margaret
and Fitzroy River
s.
The MacDonalds, together with the McKenzie family from the Junction near Tuena
, who were close friends and related through marriage to the MacDonalds, formed a partnership to stock and equip the station in Western Australia. The McKenzies paid the £25 for the first year's rent and the families departed their New South Wales properties in March 1883.
Donald MacDonald died early on the journey after being thrown from a horse, leaving two of his sons, Charles and William, to drive the stock 5600 kilometres (3,480 mi) to the new property. They left with 700 head of cattle and 60 horses, encountering drought
conditions as they trekked through Queensland
. Arriving at the property in June 1886 with 327 cattle and 13 horses the brothers reunited with Dan and set up camp. This is thought to be the longest overland
cattle drove in Australia's history.
The gold rush at Halls Creek provided a nearby market for beef so the MacDonald brothers continued to run the property while the McKenzies financed the operating costs. In c1900, the McKenzies sold their stake to the MacDonalds. Charles MacDonald died in 1903 and William in 1910, leaving the property to Dan MacDonald. The station prospered and MacDonald expanded by taking over the leases of surrounding properties and also began to strengthen his stock by infusing Red Poll
cattle into the Shorthorn
herd.
The station was exporting some 1,500 head annually to Java
via Derby
by 1915.
In the early 1920s, despite the drought of 1924 and problems with cattle ticks, pastoralists in the area continued to prosper with the opening of an abattoir in Wyndham
and the establishment of a stock route
from Wyndham to the central Kimberley.
Cattle king Sidney Kidman
bought a half share in Fossil Downs in the 1920s for £75,000, which Dan MacDonald bought back in 1928 with the help of his brother Duncan, making him sole owner of the property again. Dan MacDonald's son William bought into the property in 1931 and when his father passed away in 1939, William assumed control of Fossil Downs. A trained architect, William demolished the old wood and iron homestead that had suffered termite
damage and designed a new homestead to be constructed some 14 kilometres (9 mi) away from the old one, for his new bride Maxine.
By the early 1950s the station's size was estimated at about 1000000 acre and had over 20,000 branded cattle with 20 white staff and 60 Aboriginal employees.
The Muludja Remote Community is located on the station within 5 kilometres (3 mi) from the homestead
, but on the other side of the river. The community was originally situated nearer the homestead but was moved in the 1990s and has a population of approximately 100 people, all of whom are of Aboriginal descent
.
The station's name is derived from fossilised animals and plants that are found in the many limestone
outcrops in the area.
The station still occupies an area of over 800000 acre.
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
station
Station (Australian agriculture)
Station is the term for a large Australian landholding used for livestock production. It corresponds to the North American term ranch or South American estancia...
located about 50 kilometres (31 mi) south east of Fitzroy Crossing
Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia
Fitzroy Crossing is a small town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, 400 km east of Broome and 300 km west of Halls Creek. It is approximately 2,524 km from the state capital of Perth....
in the Kimberley region of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
The first Europeans to visit the area were part of Alexander Forrest
Alexander Forrest
Alexander Forrest CMG, was an explorer and surveyor of Western Australia, as well as a politician.-Early life:Forrest was born at Picton, near Bunbury in Western Australia, the son of William and Margaret Forrest...
's party who passed through in 1879 followed by Charles Hall
Charles Hall
Charles Hall may refer to:*Charles Hall , MP for Lincoln 1727–1734*Charles Hall *Charles Hall , British economist, physician and early socialist...
in 1885. Hall later struck gold at Halls Creek
Halls Creek, Western Australia
Halls Creek is a small town situated in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. It is located between the towns of Fitzroy Crossing and Turkey Creek on the Great Northern Highway...
. The station was established the following year when cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
arrived from the eastern states to stock the lease. The lease had been issued in 1883 to Dan MacDonald for the MacDonald family who were living in Cliffords Creek, New South Wales at the time. He applied for an area of 100 square mile at the junction of the Margaret
Margaret River (Kimberley region, Western Australia)
The Margaret River is a river in the Kimberley of Western Australia.The headwaters of the river rise in the King Leopold Range West of Halls Creek and flows in a westerly until it merges with the Fitzroy River of which it is a tributary...
and Fitzroy River
Fitzroy River (Western Australia)
The Fitzroy River is located in the West Kimberley region of Western Australia.-Discovery:The Fitzroy River was discovered by the West in 1837 by George Grey in the H.M.S. Beagle. The river was subsequently named by Lt J L Stokes on 26/2/1838 after Captain Robert FitzRoy R.N...
s.
The MacDonalds, together with the McKenzie family from the Junction near Tuena
Tuena, New South Wales
Tuena is a town in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Upper Lachlan Shire. It is located west of the state capital, Sydney.-External links:* - Southern Tableland tourism site...
, who were close friends and related through marriage to the MacDonalds, formed a partnership to stock and equip the station in Western Australia. The McKenzies paid the £25 for the first year's rent and the families departed their New South Wales properties in March 1883.
Donald MacDonald died early on the journey after being thrown from a horse, leaving two of his sons, Charles and William, to drive the stock 5600 kilometres (3,480 mi) to the new property. They left with 700 head of cattle and 60 horses, encountering drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
conditions as they trekked through Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. Arriving at the property in June 1886 with 327 cattle and 13 horses the brothers reunited with Dan and set up camp. This is thought to be the longest overland
Overland
Overland may refer to:* Overland Storage, a robotic tape library manufacturer, formerly known as Overland Data.* Overland, Missouri, a city in the United States* Overland High School in Aurora, Colorado...
cattle drove in Australia's history.
The gold rush at Halls Creek provided a nearby market for beef so the MacDonald brothers continued to run the property while the McKenzies financed the operating costs. In c1900, the McKenzies sold their stake to the MacDonalds. Charles MacDonald died in 1903 and William in 1910, leaving the property to Dan MacDonald. The station prospered and MacDonald expanded by taking over the leases of surrounding properties and also began to strengthen his stock by infusing Red Poll
Red Poll
The Red Poll is a dual purpose breed of cattle developed in England in the latter half of the 19th century.-Description and uses:The cattle are red, preferably deep red with white only on the tail switch and udder. They are naturally polled...
cattle into the Shorthorn
Shorthorn
The Shorthorn breed of cattle originated in the North East of England in the late 18th century. The breed was developed as dual purpose, suitable for both dairy and beef production; however there were always certain blood lines within the breed which emphasised one quality or the other...
herd.
The station was exporting some 1,500 head annually to Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
via Derby
Derby, Western Australia
Derby is a town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. At the 2006 census, Derby had a population of 3,093. Along with Broome and Kununurra, it is one of only three towns in the Kimberley to have a population over 2,000...
by 1915.
In the early 1920s, despite the drought of 1924 and problems with cattle ticks, pastoralists in the area continued to prosper with the opening of an abattoir in Wyndham
Wyndham, Western Australia
Wyndham is the oldest and northernmost town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, located on the Great Northern Highway, northeast of Perth. It was established in 1885 as a result of a gold rush at Halls Creek, and it is now a port and service centre for the east Kimberley with a...
and the establishment of a stock route
Stock route
In Australia, the Travelling Stock Route is an authorised thoroughfare for the walking of domestic livestock such as sheep or cattle from one location to another...
from Wyndham to the central Kimberley.
Cattle king Sidney Kidman
Sidney Kidman
Sir Sidney Kidman was a pastoralist in Australia and controlled huge tracts of land.-Early life:Sidney Kidman was born near Adelaide third son of George Kidman , farmer, and his wife Elizabeth Mary, née Nunn...
bought a half share in Fossil Downs in the 1920s for £75,000, which Dan MacDonald bought back in 1928 with the help of his brother Duncan, making him sole owner of the property again. Dan MacDonald's son William bought into the property in 1931 and when his father passed away in 1939, William assumed control of Fossil Downs. A trained architect, William demolished the old wood and iron homestead that had suffered termite
Termite
Termites are a group of eusocial insects that, until recently, were classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera , but are now accepted as the epifamily Termitoidae, of the cockroach order Blattodea...
damage and designed a new homestead to be constructed some 14 kilometres (9 mi) away from the old one, for his new bride Maxine.
By the early 1950s the station's size was estimated at about 1000000 acre and had over 20,000 branded cattle with 20 white staff and 60 Aboriginal employees.
The Muludja Remote Community is located on the station within 5 kilometres (3 mi) from the homestead
Homestead (buildings)
A homestead is either a single building, or collection of buildings grouped together on a large agricultural holding, such as a ranch, station or a large agricultural operation of some other designation.-See also:* Farm house* Homestead Act...
, but on the other side of the river. The community was originally situated nearer the homestead but was moved in the 1990s and has a population of approximately 100 people, all of whom are of Aboriginal descent
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
.
The station's name is derived from fossilised animals and plants that are found in the many limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
outcrops in the area.
The station still occupies an area of over 800000 acre.