Erlistoun

28.343°S 122.144°E / -28.343; 122.144 (Erlistoun)

Erlistoun

Location in Western Australia

Erlistoun Station is a pastoral lease that has operated as a cattle station and more recently as a sheep station in Western Australia.

It is situated approximately 72 kilometres (45 mi) to the north of Laverton and 162 kilometres (101 mi) east of Leinster in the Goldfields-Esperance region. Borodale Creek runs through the property from Davis Pool on the northern boundary meandering through waterholes to Namendarra Lake on the southern boundary.[1]

Erlistoun was known as a district in the area before the station was established. The lease was first taken up by Butcher and Uhr in 1904, originally on a block extending northward from Laverton for a distance of 55 miles (89 km) with a width of 40 miles (64 km). The company was initially running cattle at Erlistoun, 1,000 head of which they had overlanded down from the Kimberley.[2]

The Emanuel brothers owned the property in 1911 when it was sold to Kalgoorlie-Boulder Firewood Company.[3] At this time the property occupied an area of 519,000 acres (210,032 ha) and was still running cattle. In 1924 the property was estimated to be carrying 5,500 head of cattle.[4] By 1925 the size of the property was estimated as being 1,000,000 acres (404,686 ha) and was stocked with 4,000 head of cattle.[5] Sheep had been introduced to the property by this time and in 1926 it was stocked with 7,000 cattle and 5,000 sheep.[6] Shearing the same year yielded 31 bales of wool per 1,000 sheep. Another 4,000 sheep were due to arrive at the station in late 1926.[7]

Erlistoun was the initial location of the first feature-length film shot in Western Australia;[8] scenes for the film Down Under, directed by Harry Southwell, were shot at the station in 1926.[9]

The area received heavy rains in 1929 with Erlistoun recording over 0.5 inches (13 mm) in 24 hours[10] and over 8 inches (200 mm) in total for the month. The normally dry creek ran for a length of over 20 miles (32 km) through the property.[11] In 1930, the property was running a flock of 13,000 sheep.[12] In the same year the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Firewood company changed its name to the Erlistoun Pastoral Company; the directors were Alex Porter, J. McCalmont and E.H. Jolly.[1]

In 2003 the property was being plagued by wild dogs attacking the sheep. Other properties in the area were similarly affected.[13]

The area is popular amongst gold prospectors. Guest accommodation is available on Erlistoun in the shearers' quarters.[14]