Newry Station
Encyclopedia
Newry Station is a 2500 km2 pastoral lease
in the Northern Territory
of Australia
. It adjoins the Territory’s border with Western Australia
and is operated as a cattle station
by the Consolidated Pastoral Company
(CPC).
, forest and stony ridge country. It carries 15,000 head of cattle, turning off 4,000 head of weaner steers and spayed heifers annually. The cattle are trucked to Argyle Downs
, operated by the same company, eventually entering the live export
trade to Southeast Asia
n markets.
, the property was first taken up in 1886, with a homestead built on the banks of the Keep River. Cattle were introduced after the lease was bought by pastoralist Patrick Durack
who spent two years droving
a herd of 7,000 cattle and horses 5,000 km across northern Australia to the Ord River
region where they established several cattle stations. The property remained with the Durack family until 1950 when it was sold to the Australian Agricultural Company
. AAC introduced Santa Gertrudis cattle
, before achieving better results through crossing Brahmans
with Kimberley Shorthorn
s. In 1986 it was bought by the Baines River Cattle Company. It was eventually purchased, along with other properties, by CPC in 1992.
, so classified because of the importance of its habitats for conservation of the endangered Gouldian Finch
. A 400 ha site within the property – the Newry Station Gouldian Finch site - is listed on Australia’s Register of the National Estate
.
Pastoral lease
A pastoral lease is Crown land that government allows to be leased, generally for the purposes of farming.-Australia:Pastoral leases exist in both Australian commonwealth law and state jurisdictions....
in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It adjoins the Territory’s border with 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...
and is operated as a cattle station
Cattle station
Cattle station is an Australian term for a large farm , whose main activity is the rearing of cattle. In Australia, the owner of a cattle station is called a grazier...
by the Consolidated Pastoral Company
Consolidated Pastoral Company
The Consolidated Pastoral Company is a large, privately owned, Australian cattle company which operates 18 cattle stations covering over 57,000 km2, managing more than 350,000 cattle, in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland...
(CPC).
Description
The station contains black soilVertisol
In both the FAO and USA soil taxonomy, a vertisol is a soil in which there is a high content of expansive clay known as montmorillonite that forms deep cracks in drier seasons or years. Alternate shrinking and swelling causes self-mulching, where the soil material consistently mixes itself, causing...
, forest and stony ridge country. It carries 15,000 head of cattle, turning off 4,000 head of weaner steers and spayed heifers annually. The cattle are trucked to Argyle Downs
Argyle Downs
Argyle Downs is a pastoral lease and cattle station located about south east of Kununurra in the Kimberley region near the border of Western Australia and Northern Territory. It is operated by the Consolidated Pastoral Company....
, operated by the same company, eventually entering the live export
Live export
Live export is the transport of living farm animals usually across either state or national borders.Animal charities say that thousands of animals die en route from disease, heat exhaustion, thirst, suffocation, and crush injuries. The National Hog Farmer reports that 420,000 pigs are crippled and...
trade to Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
n markets.
History
Named after the Northern Irish port of NewryNewry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
, the property was first taken up in 1886, with a homestead built on the banks of the Keep River. Cattle were introduced after the lease was bought by pastoralist Patrick Durack
Patrick Durack
Patrick Durack was a pastoral pioneer.His family were struggling tenant farmers from Magherareagh near Scarriff in County Clare, Ireland who moved from Ireland to New South Wales in 1853. Two months after arriving in New South Wales, his father, Michael was accidentally killed...
who spent two years droving
Droving
Droving is the practice of moving livestock over large distances by walking them "on the hoof".Droving stock to market, usually on foot and often with the aid of dogs, has a very long history in the old world...
a herd of 7,000 cattle and horses 5,000 km across northern Australia to the Ord River
Ord River
The Ord River is a 320-kilometre-long river in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It was named in honour of Harry Ord, Governor of Western Australia from 1877 to 1880....
region where they established several cattle stations. The property remained with the Durack family until 1950 when it was sold to the Australian Agricultural Company
Australian Agricultural Company
The Australian Agricultural Company is a company which serves to improve beef cattle production through responsible natural resource and land use...
. AAC introduced Santa Gertrudis cattle
Santa Gertrudis cattle
Santa Gertrudis cattle are a tropical beef breed of cattle developed in southern Texas on the King Ranch. They were named for the Spanish land grant where Captain Richard King originally established the King Ranch. This breed was officially recognized by the United States Department of...
, before achieving better results through crossing Brahmans
Brahman (cattle)
The Brahman or Brahma is a breed of Zebu cattle , later exported from India to the rest of the world. The main breeds used were Kankrej, Gujurat, Nelore or Ongole and the Gir or Gyr cattle...
with Kimberley 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...
s. In 1986 it was bought by the Baines River Cattle Company. It was eventually purchased, along with other properties, by CPC in 1992.
Conservation
Much of the pastoral lease lies within the Keep River Important Bird AreaKeep River Important Bird Area
The Keep River Important Bird Area is a 983 km2 tract of land on the upper Keep River straddling the border between Western Australia and the Northern Territory. It lies at an altitude of 150–210 m and is about 400 km south-west of Darwin and 40 km east of...
, so classified because of the importance of its habitats for conservation of the endangered Gouldian Finch
Gouldian Finch
The Gouldian Finch, Erythrura gouldiae , also known as the Lady Gouldian Finch, Gould's Finch or the Rainbow Finch, is a colorful passerine bird endemic to Australia. There is strong evidence of a continuing decline, even at the best-known site near Katherine in the Northern Territory...
. A 400 ha site within the property – the Newry Station Gouldian Finch site - is listed on Australia’s Register of the National Estate
Register of the National Estate
The Register of the National Estate is a listing of natural and cultural heritage places in Australia. The listing was initially compiled between 1976 and 2003 by the Australian Heritage Commission. The register is now maintained by the Australian Heritage Council...
.
Sources
- BirdLife International. (2011). Important Bird Areas factsheet: Keep River. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 2011-07-15.