Zonifer Lloyd
Arkaba Woolshed
The Historic Arkaba Woolshed was built in 1856 and was used as a depot shed for the surrounding properties. The original corrugated iron roof is still on the building to this day. Back in the blade shearing days it was a 40 stand shed but now, with electric wide combs, it is a 5 stand shed.
Arkaba is the Aboriginal name of the tribe that inhabited the area. Arkaba means land of abundance.
Arkaba Station was first settled in 1851 by two Doctors from England called the Browne Brothers. They abandoned their medical careers and started buying property in 1843 at Booborowie Station, near Burra in the Mid North of South Australia.
In 1850 W. J. Browne, J. F. Hayward, G. Marchant and an aboriginal guide, explored for more pastoral country to the North. Heavy rain stopped the party just north of Hawker so they had to return to Booborowie Station.
William Chace, a stockman for the Brownes, was sent later in 1850 to further explore the country. It was then that Chace discovered Arkaba, Wilpena and Aroona country. As a result of this, the range north of Hawker was named The Chace Range. The Browne brothers claimed Arkaba, Wilpena and Aroona and engaged Frederick Sinnett, a surveyor from Adelaide, to survey their claims.
Early in 1851 they placed managing partners (Marchant Brothers) in charge, giving each a half share in the properties.
The Great Drought of the 1860s broke many pastoralists. The Brownes however, had the means of surviving but not the managers so the Marchant brothers left Arkaba.
In December 1862 a camel team returned from Cooper's Creek with the remains of Explorers Burke and Wills and camped at Arkaba. John McDouall Stuart also camped at Arkaba on his exploring expeditions.
During the 1890s dingoes posed a great threat for survival as Arkaba was still unfenced. Otto Batholomaeus, the then owner, spent all his money, and borrowed, to erect a vermin proof fence 6 feet high . Paddock after paddock was fenced. Batholomaeus applied for, and was granted, a perpetual lease. The cost of 14 miles of fencing in 1912-1913 was 954 pounds, labour 324 pounds, material plus freight 630 pounds. A man's wage was 30 shillings. After the Batholomaeus family finished fencing, they fought the dingoes, succeeded and Arkaba became a successful venture.
In 1984 the Rasheeds purchased Arkaba Station from the Bartholomaeus family who had been there since the turn of the century.
When the Rasheeds moved to Arkaba in 1984 there was only one road on the property and so destructive were the rabbits that the country looked like a moonscape.
The first major project was to eradicate the vermin by using bulldozers, explosives and chemicals. This project took 14 years and many hundreds of thousand dollars but the result was magnificent and won them 3 Ibis Awards for Pastoral Management. Bushes and trees that had not been seen for many years returned and the carrying capacity of sheep increased from 3000 to 8000. Approximately 10,000 feral goats have been removed from Arkaba during the past 21 years.
Arkaba Woolshed
The Historic Arkaba Woolshed was built in 1856 and was used as a depot shed for the surrounding properties. The original corrugated iron roof is still on the building to this day. Back in the blade shearing days it was a 40 stand shed but now, with electric wide combs, it is a 5 stand shed.
Arkaba is the Aboriginal name of the tribe that inhabited the area. Arkaba means land of abundance.
Arkaba Station was first settled in 1851 by two Doctors from England called the Browne Brothers. They abandoned their medical careers and started buying property in 1843 at Booborowie Station, near Burra in the Mid North of South Australia.
In 1850 W. J. Browne, J. F. Hayward, G. Marchant and an aboriginal guide, explored for more pastoral country to the North. Heavy rain stopped the party just north of Hawker so they had to return to Booborowie Station.
William Chace, a stockman for the Brownes, was sent later in 1850 to further explore the country. It was then that Chace discovered Arkaba, Wilpena and Aroona country. As a result of this, the range north of Hawker was named The Chace Range. The Browne brothers claimed Arkaba, Wilpena and Aroona and engaged Frederick Sinnett, a surveyor from Adelaide, to survey their claims.
Early in 1851 they placed managing partners (Marchant Brothers) in charge, giving each a half share in the properties.
The Great Drought of the 1860s broke many pastoralists. The Brownes however, had the means of surviving but not the managers so the Marchant brothers left Arkaba.
In December 1862 a camel team returned from Cooper's Creek with the remains of Explorers Burke and Wills and camped at Arkaba. John McDouall Stuart also camped at Arkaba on his exploring expeditions.
During the 1890s dingoes posed a great threat for survival as Arkaba was still unfenced. Otto Batholomaeus, the then owner, spent all his money, and borrowed, to erect a vermin proof fence 6 feet high . Paddock after paddock was fenced. Batholomaeus applied for, and was granted, a perpetual lease. The cost of 14 miles of fencing in 1912-1913 was 954 pounds, labour 324 pounds, material plus freight 630 pounds. A man's wage was 30 shillings. After the Batholomaeus family finished fencing, they fought the dingoes, succeeded and Arkaba became a successful venture.
In 1984 the Rasheeds purchased Arkaba Station from the Bartholomaeus family who had been there since the turn of the century.
When the Rasheeds moved to Arkaba in 1984 there was only one road on the property and so destructive were the rabbits that the country looked like a moonscape.
The first major project was to eradicate the vermin by using bulldozers, explosives and chemicals. This project took 14 years and many hundreds of thousand dollars but the result was magnificent and won them 3 Ibis Awards for Pastoral Management. Bushes and trees that had not been seen for many years returned and the carrying capacity of sheep increased from 3000 to 8000. Approximately 10,000 feral goats have been removed from Arkaba during the past 21 years.