Gogo Station
Gogo or Gogo Station and sometimes referred to as Margaret Downs is a pastoral lease that has operated as a cattle station. It is located about 11 kilometres (7 mi) south of Fitzroy Crossing and 83 kilometres (52 mi) north east of Yungngora in the Kimberley region of Western Australia,
The station was established in 1885, and in 1902 occupied and area of 1,750,000 acres (708,200 ha).[1] The country is on the flood-plain of the Fitzroy River and is well covered in Mitchell and Flinders grass with large areas of spinifex.[2]
A large number of cattle was lost on Gogo and on Fossil Downs Station in 1906 following an extended dry spell. Other neighbouring stations lost several hundred cattle each.[3]
By 1910 the station had an estimated herd of 35,000 cattle and the station manager was being paid an annual salary of £600 a year.[4]
In 1911 the station was being managed by George Piper and was owned by the Emanuel Bros.,[5] who also owned Noonkanbah Station located further to the south east.[6]
Moola Bulla Station bought 50 bulls from Gogo to improve their herd in June 1912.[7]
A stockman died at the station in 1913 when he was thrown from his horse. The man, Frank Odman, did not regain consciousness after the accident and died the following day.[8]
By 1917 the station had a herd of 50,000 cattle and was regarded as one of the best run stations in the Kimberley.[9]
Cattle tick reached the property in 1918-19, probably transferred from Louisa Downs Station where the stock had been infected in 1916-17.[10]
Put up for auction in 1920 the station along with its neighbour, Noonkanbah Station. Gogo was advertised as having an area of 2,537,858 acres (1,027,035 ha) on one compact block equipped with 150 miles (241 km) of fencing. The property is described as being abundantly watered by the Fitzroy River, Margaret River, Christmas Creek and various other creeks, but still having several bores with windmills and troughing. The total stock on the property was 60,000 shorthorn cattle along with 400 horses, 50 mules and 44 donkeys. The average rainfall at the station since 1894 is advertised as 22.4 inches (569 mm) per annum.[11] The station was not sold as the Emanuels still owned the station in 1923.
The herd size was estimated at 90,000 in 1928 and Gogo was the biggest station in Western Australia.[12]
The station delivered 394 cattle and 39 bales of wool in 1929 to the port of Derby to be loaded aboard the Minderoo and steamed to Fremantle.[13]
In 1930 gas was struck in a water-bore that was drilled at the station. The Freney Oil company held concessions for the area.[14] The well had sunk to a depth of 1,067 feet (325 m) and the presence of gas was confirmed by the station manager, Mr Millard.[15]
Over 500 cattle were shipped from the station in 1932 aboard the Centaur from the port in Derby.[16] A further 883 bullocks were shipped on the Minderoo to Port Hedland in 1935[17] then another 454 were shipped in 1936 also aborad the Centaur and bound for Carnarvon.[18] A shipment of 526 cattle were shipped from Gogo in 1937 aboard the Centaur,[19] with another 422 sent in 1938 aboard the Charon[20] and 450 sent from Derby aboard the Gordon bound for Fremantle.[21]
During an influenza epidemic in the Kimberleys in 1934, 12 Aborigines died from the disease on Gogo out of the 129 fatalities overall.[22]
In 1947 Gogo shipped 2,580 cattle from Derby out of 6,760 that were sent from all the stations in the surrounding area,[23] in 1948 450 bullocks were shipped aboard the Gorgon.[24]
During the wet season in 1949, six Aborigines were struck by lightning during a tropical storm. They were all severely burnt and one as still unconscious the next day when they were taken to Fitzroy Crossing hospital.[25]
In a report made to the Commonwealth Government in 1950 by the Department of Agriculture it was found that in a survey performed by a Mr. Poggendorff that 16 square miles (41 km2) of Gogo would be suitable for rice cultivation, despite the fact that previous experimental plots had failed in the Kimberley in 1948.[26]
The Emanuels continued to improve the herd by purchasing poll shorthorn bulls from the Melara stud including Melara Formidable (6) and Melara Royal Rebel (4) in 1950.[27]
Following the advent of the revision of the Land Act limiting holdings up to one million acres, several of the properties of the Emanuels had to be disposed of. Gogo was dissolved into three separate properties; Margaret Downs (alos known as Gogo), Cherrabun and Christmas Creek, and hese together with Meda Station are still held by the descendents of the original partners.[28]
In 1985 an area of 1 square mile (3 km2) was exised from the property to form the Aboriginal community of Yakanarra which is home to about 150 Indigenous Australians.[29]
In 2010 the station was owned by the New South Wales based Harris family. A trial for wet season cropping on a large scale was conducted in 2010 with 480 hectares (1,186 acres) of sorghum being planted. The crop in turn will be used to fatten the cattle prior to export.[30]
Thousands of hectares at Gogo were burnt out in 2011 when a fire was deliberately lit at the Muludja Community near Fitzroy Crossing. A local man started the fire after an argument and was affected by alcohol, he was later arrested and charged with arson following a tip-off from the public.[31]
References
- ^ "On the Fitzroy River.". Western Mail (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 4 January 1902. p. 25. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
- ^ "A Trip Through Kimberley.". Northern Territory Times and Gazette (Darwin, Northern Territory: National Library of Australia). 28 July 1905. p. 3. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "Derby Notes". Northern Times (Carnarvon, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 27 January 1906. p. 2. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "Notes from the North-West". Sunday Times (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 11 September 1910. p. 17. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "The Kimberley natives". Western Mail (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 28 January 1911. p. 45. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
- ^ "5,000 miles tour.". The West Australian (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 29 June 1920. p. 7. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- ^ "North-West Natives". The West Australian (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 5 May 1913. p. 5. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- ^ "News and notes". The West Australian (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 19 June 1913. p. 6. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- ^ "Through the Nor-west.". Sunday Times (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 28 October 1917. p. 3. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- ^ "Reply to "Drover"". The West Australian (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 26 July 1928. p. 18. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- ^ "Advertising.". Western Mail (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 14 October 1920. p. 12. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "Up North.". Sunday Times (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 2 September 1928. p. 7 Section: First Section. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "News from the north". Northern Times (Carnarvon, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 29 August 1929. p. 4. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- ^ "Mining.". The West Australian (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 21 March 1930. p. 17. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- ^ "Mining". The West Australian (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 31 March 1930. p. 11. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- ^ "Derby News.". Northern Times (Carnarvon, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 10 August 1932. p. 2. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "North-West News.". The West Australian (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 27 July 1935. p. 4. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "Derby News.". Northern Times (Carnarvon, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 10 June 1936. p. 2. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "North-West News". The West Australian (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 17 June 1937. p. 14. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "News From The North-West.". Western Mail (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 23 June 1938. p. 55. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "Derby News.". Northern Times (Carnarvon, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 5 July 1946. p. 2. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "Influenza among Blacks.". The West Australian (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 13 June 1934. p. 14. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "Derby cattle season". The West Australian (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 16 September 1947. p. 8. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "Derby Notes.". Northern Times (Carnarvon, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 27 May 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "Six natives struck by lightning.". The Canberra Times (Australian Capital Territory: National Library of Australia). 11 January 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "Possible rice areas in northern Australia". The West Australian (Perth, Western Australia: National Library of Australia). 7 August 1950. p. 9. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "Poll Shorthorns.". Centralian Advocate (Alice Springs, Northern Territory: National Library of Australia). 11 August 1950. p. 18. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "Obituaries Australia -Emanuel, Isadore Samuel (1860–1954)". Australian National University. 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
- ^ "Yakanarra Community Layout Plan". Government of Western Australia. 21 February 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
- ^ "Kimberley cropping program all set to go at GoGo Station". Fitzroy Crossing: Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 14 December 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
- ^ "Charges laid over Gogo Station blaze". Western Australia: Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 4 October 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
Coordinates: 18°17′32″S 125°35′01″E / 18.29222°S 125.58361°E
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