Cubbie Station

Cubbie Station

Location in Queensland

Cubbie Station, located near Dirranbandi, Australia, is the largest privately owned (Cubbie Group) irrigation property in the southern hemisphere.

The station was created by amalgamating 12 floodplain properties to give Cubbie a total of 51 water licences.^[1] Its huge water storage dams stretch for more than 28 km along the Culgoa River, part of the Murray-Darling system. In an average year the Station uses 200,000 megaliters of water, in a good year as much as 500,000 megalitres.

The water is used to supply 130 square kilometres of irrigated cotton and other crops including wheat, which brings in about $50 million a year.^[2]

• Licenced to take 460,000 megalitres.^[1]
• Managing director:John Grabbe
• Capacity to grow 200 km² of cotton
• In 2006 the dams were filled to 1% capacity allowing for only 2 km² of cotton planting ^[1]

The station is often derided for its large water usage requirements in a time of extreme drought in Australia and damage to the Murray Darling river system ^[3]

The station's irrigation license allows it to take 460,000 megalitres. It is the equivalent of all irrigation entitlements downstream in north-western NSW.^[4]

The previous Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull did not rule out its acquisition by the government.^[5][6]

On the 29th of October, 2009, Cubbie Station announced it would enter administration on October 30, 2009, at 5.00pm. This was due to Cubbie Station gaining debt of over $300 million, due to poor rainfall in the region over the past 5 years.

External links

Queensland portal

• Cubbie.com.au
• Cubbie Station - Warwick Hughes

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Cubbie Station down to 1pc water capacity". 2006. http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2004/s1052459.htm. Retrieved 2006-10-17. 
2. ^ "The rise and rise of Cubbie Station". 2000. http://www.melaleucamedia.com.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=35. Retrieved 2006-07-26. 
3. ^ "Once-mighty Darling drying up". 2008. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24151039-11949,00.html. Retrieved 2008-10-08. ^{[dead link]}
4. ^ "Bitter Feud over water". 2008. http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2004/s1052459.htm. Retrieved 2008-08-10. 
5. ^ Gordon, Michael; Grattan, Michelle (2007-02-08). "Turnbull eyes Asian Food Boom". The Age (Melbourne). http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/turnbull-eyes-asian-food-boom/2007/02/07/1170524164099.html/. Retrieved 2007-02-08. 
6. ^ Roberts, Greg (2008-07-10). "Farmers fume over Cubbie station 'gift'". The Australian. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23996542-5013404,00.html. Retrieved 2008-10-08.