Melangata Station

Melangata Station
Location in Western Australia

Coordinates: 27°48′11″S 116°53′06″E / 27.803°S 116.885°E

Melangata Station is a pastoral lease that has operated as a goat transhipment location, as well as sheep station in Western Australia.

It is located 63 kilometres (39 mi) north of Yalgoo and 99 kilometres (62 mi) west of Mount Magnet in the Murchison area of the Mid West region of Western Australia. It was the only private property in Western Australia to have a John Hawes designed structure.[1][2][3]

The pastoral lease and station of Melangata is smaller than its neighbours Jingemara Station (to the west), Dalgaranga Station (to the east), and Meka Station to the north, and has rougher country compared to the adjacent stations. Originally a sheep station it has been more recently a goat export receival station. The station is on the older Yalgoo to Cue track that was a route much more direct than rail connection between Yalgoo and Cue that travels to Mount Magnet.[4]

It lies at the upper reaches of the Greenough River catchment (which drops to the west), and to the north of the Sanford river catchment.

On the northern border of the lease is a named feature Nooloojoo Hill.

A short road across the south west corner is known as '"Melangata Road";[5] it links Yalgoo North Road with the Dalgaranga and Cue Dalgaranga roads.

Like most stations in the area it has its own airstrip, and because of its position maps of the area are named after the station.[6][7]

Most of the leases surrounding Melangata were taken in the 1880s, but Melangata was not leased until 1897. C.C. Williamson acquired the property in 1915 and had the homestead commissioned in 1917.[8]

The station was on sheep shearing lists as early as 1915, with a scheduled number of 2500 sheep to be shorn.[9]

The Seaman family had a long interest in the station.[10][11][12]

Melangata was sold in 2013 for A$475,000, the 45,122 hectares (111,499 acres) property was stocked with approximately 1,500 damaras at the time.[13]

Homestead

The John Hawes designed homestead was built in 1917 and is constructed of stone with a corrugated iron roof.[8] It consists of six bedrooms, a large living area, an unusual turret and a chapel with altar.

The breezeways are without doors, allowing a constant flow of air throughout the structure.[13] Another feature is the hand-painted pressed metal ceilings, similar to those at Noongal and Carlaminda Stations.[8]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ John Taylor Architect; Accordia Nominees Pty. Ltd (1998), Conservation plan for the Melangata Homestead, Melangata Station, Shire of Yalgoo, Western Australia, The Nominees, retrieved 22 January 2014
  2. ↑ A. G. Evans. "Hawes, John Cyril (1876–1956)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  3. ↑ "Register of Heritage Places – Assessment Documentation". Heritage Council of Western Australia. 30 October 1998. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  4. ↑ Details of the adjacent pastoral leases and geography are on map 123 of Western Australia. Dept. of Land Information (2006), Travellers atlas of Western Australia (9th ed ed.), Dept. of Land Information, ISBN 978-1-921048-13-5 and earlier history of the area in the Heritage WA resgistation of the Melangata homestead
  5. ↑ "RURAL TOPICS.". The Sunday Times (Perth: National Library of Australia). 30 May 1926. p. 8 Section: Second Section. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  6. ↑ Australia. Army. Royal Australian Survey Corps (1978), Melangata (Ed. 1 ed.), Royal Australian Survey Corps, retrieved 23 January 2014
  7. ↑ Western Australia. Dept. of Lands and Surveys (1981), [Western Australia 1:50 000 photomosaic series]. 2242-II,., Melangata, The Department, retrieved 23 January 2014
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Melangata". Heritage Council of Western Australia. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "SHEARING DATES.". The Sunday Times (Perth: National Library of Australia). 21 March 1915. p. 24. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  10. ↑ "PERSONAL.". The West Australian (Perth: National Library of Australia). 7 July 1947. p. 7 Edition: SECOND EDITION. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  11. ↑ "PRICES STEADY AT PERTH WOOL SALE.". The West Australian (Perth: National Library of Australia). 25 October 1951. p. 5. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  12. ↑ Also in the Heritage Council reference to a conversation – At Melangata between John Taylor Architect and Mr Jim and Mrs Peggy Seaman 29 March 1994... – they were at the station between 1947–1990s
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Melangata 45,122 Ha – 111,500 Ac". Landmark Harcourts. 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2013.