Ketchowla Station

Ketchowla Station
Location in South Australia

Coordinates: 33°17′31″S 139°13′01″E / 33.292°S 139.217°E

Ketchowla Station is a pastoral lease operating as a sheep station in the Mid North region of South Australia.

The property is situated approximately 32 kilometres (20 mi) south east of Terowie and 92 kilometres (57 mi) north west of Morgan. The property is composed of open plains and salt bush country and is watered by a surface spring in the Ketchowla range and by several bores.[1]

Stations in the local area including Ketchowla are home to some of the world's oldest rock art dated at being approximately 44,000 year old.[2]

Ketchowla was established in 1852 when Christopher Giles, had only arrived in the colony in 1849, took up the lease.[3] Giles advertised the property to be put up for auction in 1860 when it occupied an area of 135 square miles (350 km2) and had was carrying a flock of 3,700 sheep that were watered by the spring and by two bores. The homestead contained seven rooms constructed out of wood and stone with a detached kitchen. Other infrastructure included a shearing shed, stock yards and four other huts [1] The run was purchased in 1861 by Captain Hillary Boucart who took a half share with Giles retaining the other half. Boucart and a young Alfred Giles resided at Ketchowla where the property served the men well supporting a flock of about 17,000 sheep. The men had spent over £10,000 mostly on dams and other improvements when the area was stuck by drought from 1864 to 1866 so the flock was greatly reduced even having to kill the lambs to save the ewes. The men had to sell off the property as a result,[4] losing nearly everything as a result. The station then passed onto the Austin Brothers who dissolved their partnership in 1873 and attempted to auction the 245 square miles (635 km2) that was stocked with 26,000 sheep.[5]

In 1874 a flock of 7,000 sheep from Ketchowla was stopped in the Coorong on the way to market by inspectors who detected several animals infected with fluke within the flock. The infected animals were destroyed and the rest of the flock quarantined.[6] The Austins also eventually lost everything, the property was then acquired by Thomas Elder.[7]

Huge dust storms, described as the worst in 50 years, swept the area in 1929. A lorry with the brakes on was blown 200 yards (183 m) into a tree from the force of the winds.[8]

In 1950 Ketchowla and surrounding areas received near record rainfall with Ketchowla recording over 5 inches (127 mm) falling in the month of February.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Advertising.". South Australian Weekly Chronicle (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 24 December 1859. p. 8. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  2. ↑ "SA History Festival Exhibition – Ketchowla Station". F. J. Martin. 28 March 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  3. ↑ "The Week.". South Australian Weekly Chronicle (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 3 May 1884. p. 11. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  4. ↑ "An esteemed pioneer". The Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 4 October 1927. p. 10. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  5. ↑ "Advertising.". South Australian Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 15 May 1873. p. 8. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  6. ↑ "General news". The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser (New South Wales: National Library of Australia). 25 July 1874. p. 6. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  7. ↑ "The man on the land". The Register (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 25 May 1926. p. 14. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  8. ↑ "Burra History – Historical Timeline". National Library of Australia. 2006. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Heavy Rains Flood District.". Burra Record (South Australia: National Library of Australia). 7 February 1950. p. 1. Retrieved 15 September 2013.