The Mutooroo Pastoral Company
Celebrating 150 years.
Welcome to The Mutooroo Pastoral Company
The Mutooroo Pastoral Company consists of five main stations located in the North East Pastoral area of South Australia along the SA/NSW border. The stations are Mutooroo, Mulyungarie, Quinyambie, Lilydale and Manunda. In total it is around 19,000 square km or close to 5.25 million acres/2.1 million hectares.
The Mutooroo Pastoral Company is owned and managed by the Morgan and Wells families - direct descendants of Peter Waite who was instrumental in opening up the North East Pastoral areas of South Australia in the late 1880s.
Company History
The Company was incorporated following the death of Sir Thomas Elder in 1897 to acquire the business of the long and successful partnership of Peter Waite and Sir Thomas Elder. In 1868 Sir Thomas Elder acquired leases of large areas in the North East of SA following the formation of a partnership with Peter Waite in 1867. The leases comprised "the Paratoo leases" expiring in 1888 and "the Mutooroo leases" expiring later. In the years following an energetic programme of development was undertaken, including extensive fencing as Peter Waite believed in "big dams and small paddocks". In 1870 he imported 265 tons of wire from England to fulfil his belief.
In 1880 the active development of the Mutooroo leases was started. In 1882 the original Mutooroo Station homestead (now the Director's House) was built together with various outbuildings; the Store and Blacksmith's shop; the woolshed and woolroom; the shearer's quarters and yards. Provision was made for 53 shearers! From 1888-1893, following the expiry of the Paratoo leases, stock and plant were gradually transferred from Paratoo to Mutooroo so that Mutooroo could be run as a separate entity.
In 1887, 1000 square miles of land were purchased that included Mulyungarie, Lake Charles and Lake Dismal (all now form part of Mulyungarie Station). At this time also Andrew Smith was appointed manager of the Mutooroo runs, and interestingly he is the father of Ross and Keith Smith who were the first pilots to fly from England to Australia in 1919. They spent their early years living at Mutooroo Station.
In 1895 a large dam called "Lilydale" was completed and a building was built near it in 1898, which became the beginning of Lilydale Station.
The Mutooroo Pastoral Company has expanded its lease over the years. In 2010 they purchased Quinyambie Station, north west of Broken Hill, from S. Kidman & Co.
Visit Peter Waite page on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Waite_(philanthropist)
The Mutooroo Pastoral Company is owned and managed by the Morgan and Wells families - direct descendants of Peter Waite who was instrumental in opening up the North East Pastoral areas of South Australia in the late 1880s.
Company History
The Company was incorporated following the death of Sir Thomas Elder in 1897 to acquire the business of the long and successful partnership of Peter Waite and Sir Thomas Elder. In 1868 Sir Thomas Elder acquired leases of large areas in the North East of SA following the formation of a partnership with Peter Waite in 1867. The leases comprised "the Paratoo leases" expiring in 1888 and "the Mutooroo leases" expiring later. In the years following an energetic programme of development was undertaken, including extensive fencing as Peter Waite believed in "big dams and small paddocks". In 1870 he imported 265 tons of wire from England to fulfil his belief.
In 1880 the active development of the Mutooroo leases was started. In 1882 the original Mutooroo Station homestead (now the Director's House) was built together with various outbuildings; the Store and Blacksmith's shop; the woolshed and woolroom; the shearer's quarters and yards. Provision was made for 53 shearers! From 1888-1893, following the expiry of the Paratoo leases, stock and plant were gradually transferred from Paratoo to Mutooroo so that Mutooroo could be run as a separate entity.
In 1887, 1000 square miles of land were purchased that included Mulyungarie, Lake Charles and Lake Dismal (all now form part of Mulyungarie Station). At this time also Andrew Smith was appointed manager of the Mutooroo runs, and interestingly he is the father of Ross and Keith Smith who were the first pilots to fly from England to Australia in 1919. They spent their early years living at Mutooroo Station.
In 1895 a large dam called "Lilydale" was completed and a building was built near it in 1898, which became the beginning of Lilydale Station.
The Mutooroo Pastoral Company has expanded its lease over the years. In 2010 they purchased Quinyambie Station, north west of Broken Hill, from S. Kidman & Co.
Visit Peter Waite page on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Waite_(philanthropist)