Tarmoola Station

Tarmoola Station
Location in Western Australia

Tarmoola or Tarmoola Station is a pastoral lease that operates as a sheep station located about 25 kilometres (16 mi) north west of Leonora and 100 kilometres (62 mi) south of Leinster in the Goldfields of Western Australia. The western boundary of Tarmoola adjoins Sturt Meadows Station.[1]

The property was established on land that was previously owned by the Leonora Pastoral Company but had remained largely undeveloped. Reuben McBride inspected the area and took up a lease over approximately 500,000 acres (202,343 ha) in 1923. Together with W. G. Hawkes, McBride formed the Tarmoola Pastoral Company in 1924[2] and embarked on an improvement program. Shortly afterward some 240,000 acres (97,125 ha) was fenced and several bores had been sunk.[3]

The property encompassed an area of approximately 600,000 acres (242,811 ha) in 1925. The area had just come out of drought conditions and was being stocked with sheep. A consignment of 3,300, worth £10,000 was delivered from South Australia.[4]

The area suffered a four year drought which ended in 1947 with Tarmoola recoring 1 inch (25 mm) of rain in a single day.[5]

In 1950 the property was acquired by J. G. Money,[6] who also owned Weebo and Willara stations along with large dairy properties.[7] McBride remained on Tarmoola as manager but retired and left the area later the same year.[8]

The current owner of the property is the Saint Barbara mining Company.[9] The property was destocked in 2014 and was suffering from an infestation of coral cactus. The cactus had spread from a few plants that were discarded at the tip to a core area of 3 hectares (7 acres) with isolated clumps spread over an area of 66 square kilometres (25 sq mi).[10]

See also

References

  1. "The Pastoralist". Western Mail (Perth: National Library of Australia). 31 May 1928. p. 44. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  2. "New companies registered". Sunday Times (Perth: National Library of Australia). 11 May 1924. p. 7. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  3. "WA. Pastoral country". The Advertiser (Adelaide: National Library of Australia). 6 January 1933. p. 22. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  4. "Rural Interests". The West Australian (Perth: National Library of Australia). 10 March 1925. p. 5. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  5. "Soaking rain in north". Kalgoorlie Miner (Kalgoorlie, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 27 February 1947. p. 2. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  6. "A trial on Tarmoola Station via Leonora". Western Mail (Perth: National Library of Australia). 26 January 1950. p. 10. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  7. "Wealthy Owner Of Property In Hotel Purchase.". The West Australian (Perth: National Library of Australia). 2 August 1951. p. 2. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  8. "Station Families Honoured.". The West Australian (Perth: National Library of Australia). 15 September 1950. p. 15. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  9. James Purtill (28 May 2013). "Taking action to prevent infestation". Kalgoorlie Miner. Yahoo7. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  10. "Coralling the Coral Cactus at Leonora". Rangelands NRM Western Australia. 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2014.

Coordinates: 28°43′08″S 121°08′56″E / 28.719°S 121.149°E