Boolardy

Boolardy Station (coord|26|59|S|116|32|E|type:landmark_region:AU) is a remote sheep station in the north-west of Western Australia, about 194 km north-north-east of Pindar and 200 km west-south-west of Meekatharra. It is within the Shire of Murchison and situated on pastoral lease no. 3114/406 (Crown lease 146/1966). The area of the lease is 3,467.48 square kilometres (1,339 square miles). [Pastoral Lands Board (private correspondence)]

The property is considered an important pastoral property in the Murchison region, with the Boolardy Homestead used as offices of the Murchison Road Board for many years. It is currently leased by the Richards family and is operated as a single enterprise incorporating the nearby properties of Murgoo, Nookawarra and Ngatta Pool.

The various stone buildings of Boolardy Station were classified by the National Trust of Australia (W.A.) on 2 September 1985.

History

Robert Austin and Kenneth Brown explored the region in 1854, noting the rich grassy plains of Boolardy and importantly, the Ngatta water hole. However, the potential of the area was not appreciated until 1873 when John Perks and Edward Wittenoom explored the area north of the water hole while searching for sheep grazing country. The water hole is about 10 km south of the main homestead.

Perks and Wittenoom subsequently took up the initial lease and the first cattle and sheep were taken overland to Nookawarra in 1876, but as the site lacked suitable feed for horses, they moved to the Boolardy site.

The lease was later associated with various members of the pioneering Wittenoom and Lefroy families, particularly Edward and Frank Wittenoom and Langlois Lefroy.

quare Kilometre Array

An international consortium is working on the design and location of a proposed radio telescope which is intended to have a collecting area of approximately one square kilometre.

The two shortlisted sites are in the Karoo area of the Northern Cape Province in South Africa, and Boolardy. [cite news | url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1918350.htm | title = $52m for radio telescope project | work = ABC News Online | date = 2007-05-09 | accessdate = 2007-05-10] The Boolardy site is also the home of the Mileura Wide-Field Array, and the Australian SKA Prototype (ASKAP).The final decision on the SKA site will be made in around 2011.

ee also

*List of homesteads in Western Australia

References

*cite web | url = http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/PDF_Files/incoming/Boolardy%20(P-AD).PDF | title = Assessment Documentation : Boolardy Homestead Group | work = Heritage Council of Western Australia | date = 29 May 2001 | accessdate = 2007-05-10