Anna Creek Station

Coordinates: 28°51′0″S 138°8′0″E / 28.85000°S 138.13333°E

Anna Creek Station
Location in South Australia
Anna Creek main homestead

Anna Creek Station is the world's largest working cattle station.[1] It is located in the Australian state of South Australia. Its area is roughly 6,000,000 acres (24,000 km2; 9,400 sq mi) which is slightly larger than Israel. It is 1,977,000 acres (8,000 km2; 3,089 sq mi) larger than its nearest rival, Alexandria Station in the country's Northern Territory and over seven times the size of the United States' biggest ranch, King Ranch in Texas, which is 825,000 acres (3,340 km2; 1,289 sq mi). [2]

The nearest township is William Creek (which is surrounded by the Anna Creek station), but the nearest town for freight etc. is Coober Pedy.

History

The property was originally established in 1863 but moved to its current location in 1872.

The property was originally used for sheep, but due to losses from dingo attacks, they switched to cattle.[2]

Anna Creek in the 2000s

Trail bikes used for mustering, Anna Creek main homestead

Despite its size, in 2007 Anna Creek Station was carrying only 1,500 head of cattle due to the drought which started in 2001. In 2008, the station was owned by S. Kidman and Co Ltd, there were eight full-time staff and they were destocking all their cattle.[3] Following floods in 2010, conditions improved and the station has restocked. It had 10,000 head of cattle in May 2011.[4] and is capable of carrying up to 16,500 head of cattle during a good season.[3]

Date Cattle Staff Source
September 2002 16,000 ? [5]
May 2003 16,500 19 [6]
July 2005 13,000 ? [7]
November 2006 4,000 ? [8]
June 2008 1,500 8 [9]
May 2011 11,000 ? [10]
August 2012 17,000 17 [11]

They raise Santa Gertrudis cattle as they are suitable for hot, dry climates.

Life at Anna Creek

There is a main homestead at Anna Creek and an outstation at The Peake. Although the homesteads are very isolated, they have satellite telecommunications including television and internet. The Coober Pedy Oodnadatta One Day Mail Run delivers mail twice a week and can bring a small amount of freight.[12]

Once there was a large workforce of stockmen at Anna Creek, who mustered the cattle on horses. Today light aircraft are used for spotting animals which are rounded up by stockmen on trail bikes, requiring a much smaller workforce.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Mercer, Phil (2008-06-09). "Cattle farms lure Australian women". BBC. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Anna Creek Station". Wrightsair. Archived from the original on 1 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-25.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Creek Dries Up". ABC. Archived from the original on 12 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
  4. ↑ "S Kidman and Co". S Kidman and Co. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
  5. ↑ ABC Dimensions In Time: William Creek Hotel. Issued 9 September 2002. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  6. ↑ ABC Rural - SA Country Hour: Anna Creek - Still the biggest station in the world. Issued 21 May 2003. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  7. ↑ ABC Rural - SA Country Hour: Big, big Anna Creek Station. Issued 14 July 2005. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  8. ↑ ABC News: Dry forces cattle sell-off. Issued 3 November 2006. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  9. ↑ ABC Landline: Creek Dries Up. Issued 8 June 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  10. ↑ "S Kidman and Co". S Kidman and Co. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
  11. ↑ ABC Landline: The Big One. Issued 12 August 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  12. ↑ "Mail Run Tour".