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Yanga Station, near Balranald
Lori Fletcher
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YANGA Station, Burrawong, is about 6 miles south east of Balranald. It was originally
taken up by WILLIAM CHARLES WENTWORTH in 1842 or 1844, who named it 'Tala'. The original
property certainly included Yanga Lake and I think
it also included Lake Tala as well, so it must have been huge. Lake Tala is a long way to
the north of Yanga.
It is the largest privately owned station in the southern hemisphere - currently of approx
210,000 acres. It was originally 240,000 acres but the current owners donated 30,000 acres
to the local council for use as a reserve. To get an idea of its size, the shearing sheds
are some 6 miles from the house!
Yanga was primarily a sheep station but today its industries include cattle, rice, wheat
and timber, as well as sheep.
Yanga homestead was built c 1870 by the owner Dr (Sir) Charles Nicholson, who was then
living in England, for the station Manager.
Nicholson was a wealthy doctor who had been involved with almost every cultural
institution of NSW, as well as many in Victoria, including the University of Sydney.
The homestead is Georgian bungalow style with typically 1830s and 1840s features and is
situated on a rise looking eastward over terraced gardens and Lake Yanga, on a peninsula
jutting into the lake. It is constructed largely of Murray Pine which still maintains its
bark.
Lake Yanga, approx 15 km in circumference, is fed by the Murrumbidgee River. Yanga has
about 16 km frontage to the Murrumbidgee River.
Yanga is recorded as being the first private property to have a telephone installed - by
no other than the nephew of Alexander Graham Bell. The telephone line was connected
between the shearing shed, the men's living quarters and the homestead. This was done as
an experiment to see if it would work over such a long distance!
When C B Fisher had the property over 100,000 sheep were shorn in one season
and about 20,000 sheep were sent to the Melbourne Market.
Yanga has had several owners since its beginnings:
William Charles Wentworth -
Dr (later Sir) Charles Nicholson from 1866
Dr Williamson - sold Yanga to C B Fisher
Charles Brown Fisher - from 1880s. He sold the property and died in May 1908 at Glenelg
SA.
Next owner ??? (maybe he went bankrupt as a bank was the next owner)
English, Scottish and Australasian Bank (ES&A)
Sims Cooper Pty Ltd (Sir Arthur Sims) - purchased Yanga in 1918.
Mrs Margaret Black - daughter of Arthur Sims
Black Family - Graeme Black (Margaret's son) current Managing Director.
Managers of Yanga
Alexander Cormack was Manager for C B Fisher - he died pre 1908.
A B Briggs was Manager in January 1908
There have been only two managers of Yanga during the past 54 years.
Fred Carter was manager for 29 years, reiring in 1974.
The Carter family, Fred's father and grandfather and currently employed Bruce Carter, have
had
a continuous employment association with Yanga for over 120 years.
Alistair Cox - current Manager since 1974.
Known staff on Yanga
James Champion - boundary rider from pre 1880 until his death at Yanga from
influenza in 1891, at 38 years old.
Elmira Champion nee Reardon - wife of James. Shearers cook from pre 1880
until James' death.
(There was an influenza epidemic in the area in the early 1890s and several
of Yanga's workers died from this. Elmira remarried and died at Balranald
in 1903 from typhoid.)
Minnie Birchall - c 1880
John Bazley - c 1886
John Griffiths - c 1886 - shearer
Mary Ann Sinclair - c 1886
William Thompson - c 1886
James Comyn - c 1886. In December 1886 he was appointed travelling representative for The
Australian Widow's Fund - Head Office 100 Collins St Melb.
Possibly also William Martin who was found deceased in a hut on Yanga where he had resided
for 3 weeks - died October1886. He may not have been an employee but perhaps someone who
had arrived ill at Yanga and was fed and
housed. He had a sister in Castlemaine Vic and another sister in Sandhurst Vic. A letter
found on his body was addressed to William Martin 'Corop West Melbourne' from Jessie and
Jack Martin, Bermuda - The letter begins: "Dear Brother......"
William Martin was 43 years old and about 5ft 6 inches tall. Cause of death was
established as heart disease.
If anyone can assist with any further details of Yanga or any people assocayed with it, it
would be most appreciated.
Contact Lori at loribyn@corplink.com.au
You are our 1975 visitor since 11 June 2000.
Last updated on 28 February 2003