The McGregor family was granted three leases, each around 1 million acres in area, on the western edge of the Nullarbor Plain, in the early 1960s. The three leases are: Kanandah, on the northern side of the Trans-Australian Railway line; Boonderoo and Koonjarra, both south of the railway line. Initially the Kanandah leases were owned by Alan and Alistair McGregor, in the early 1970s. A later change in ownership left Alan McGregor the sole owner.
Drilling for water commenced in 1962, working north from Naretha Siding on the Trans- Australian Railway line, and had immediate success with a large proportion of the holes drilled in the first few months finding water. The results provided sufficient encouragement to commence development.
Eric Swann joined the company as the first manager in 1962 after previously managing properties in western Queensland. He set up camp in a tent adjacent to one of the better bores with a pump jack and tank to supply water for water boring contractors. Commencement of what is now Kanandah homestead began in May 1963 on a site 8 miles [13 km] north of Naretha Siding.
The first building was the workshop and the shed into which the single men moved their camp. The men’s quarters soon followed and the Swann family lived in them for a time with Ruth cooking for a large crew while the manager’s house, along with the overseers’ and mechanics’ houses, were under construction.
The success of the early drilling was short-lived. The early successes west of the Naretha fault line were all small supplies, but for three or four holes. Subsequent development of waters was achieved by establishing an extensive system of pipelines sourcing most of the water from the reliable supplies in the south-east sector of the Kanandah lease. In addition, commencing in 1964, large key dams (30,000 yards and greater) were constructed in the north and along the western side of the Kanandah block and pipelines supplied water from these. With over 200 kilometres of pipeline eventually installed, there was much associated development of tanks and pumping systems, including overhead tanks on gravity supply. Initially five major dams with extensive roaded catchment systems were constructed on Kanandah and another three dams in the south. Several more dams were added later.
Despite a lot of drilling in the Boonderoo and Koonjarra blocks no usable water was found, so dams were relied upon for water. Sheep were run on the southern leases in the 1960s and 70s. However with up to a week to drove the sheep either way from the homestead and woolshed, plus the continual presence of wild dogs, sheep management in these leases was more difficult. Having run a herd of cattle as a smaller and secondary enterprise to sheep since the outset it was decided to expand the cattle enterprise to use the southern two blocks in 1973.
One dramatic event in the history of the Boonderoo lease was the filling of Lake Boonderoo in 1975. Although no rain actually fell on Kanandah, extremely high rainfall influenced by cyclonic activity in the Leonora area resulted in flooding of lakes Raeside and Rebecca with overflow flooding Ponton Creek and floodwater filling Lake Boonderoo. Previously the creek ended as a small, grassed claypan used by the station as a small airstrip, now at the bottom of the lake. After the creek stopped flowing the lake settled to between 50 and 80km2. Lake Boonderoo filled again 20 years later in 1995, when heavy rains associated with Cyclone Bobby caused flooding of the salt lakes in the north-eastern goldfields. This again provided valuable stock water until it became too saline as the water level eventually dropped.
It is appropriate to mention the Dimer family who originally pioneered much of the Nullarbor. While not covering much of the land within the Kanandah group of leases, Henry Dimer with his family ran sheep and cattle on what were essentially water leases ranging from Nanambinia Station south of the Eyre Highway up through Rawlinna and at times as far east as Loongana. One Dimer base camp was Emu Point in the south of the Koonjarra block where cattle were watered on small dams, excavated using scoops pulled by camel teams. Another water lease bought by Harry Dimer was Snake Gully in the east of the Kanandah block. This was still in operation by Harry Dimer, some time after Kanandah commenced, with Harry running a herd of Angus–shorthorn mix cattle on Snake Gully bore. Though not big, this bore is still one of the best quality water supplies on the Nullarbor.
Mark Zeuvella, who ran the lime kilns on the transline, purchased some Angus cattle from Harry Dimer and ran them near the kilns on Kanandah. They were later purchased and absorbed into the Kanandah Hereford-shorthorn mix herd. In 1973, 400 cows from Alcoota Station in the Northern Territory were introduced. These cows were mated to Murray Grey and Charolais bulls at Omar in South Australia on their way to Kanandah. With the arrival of these cattle the first Murray Grey bulls were sent to Kanandah from Willalooka Murray Grey Stud in South Australia. Willalooka continued to supply bulls to Kanandah for the next 26 years.
Kanandah suffered from bushfires in the 1960s, again in 1974, 1993, 1995 and 1996.
In the 1970s Eric Swann changed from Collinsville style rams to the bigger, more robust Bungaree style from Anamar in South Australia. These sheep handled the conditions much better and provided stronger wool. When commencing fleece weighing in about 1980 cuts and returns per head had increased significantly. With more robust sheep there was a much better annual turnoff of surplus stock and good shipping-type wethers.
A relatively successful period was experienced through the 1980s and into 1990. In 1991 however there was a drop in sheep and wool values with the huge national wool stockpile. With sheep becoming unsaleable, the stock reduction scheme was introduced and this saw in excess of 7000 sheep being destroyed and buried on the property. After so many years this was a difficult note to finish on with Eric and Ruth Swann retiring for health reasons in 1991. Russell and Judy Swann then took on management of the three leases.
In response to extensive destocking of sheep during 1991 due to drought and the drop in sheep and wool value the decision to expand the cattle enterprise was again entertained. Having bred Murray Greys for the previous 20 years it was obvious that they did not cope as well in drier periods. To increase drought hardiness, Brahman cows were introduced from Thangoo Station near Broome and after calving, mated to Murray Grey bulls from Willalooka. The existing Murray Grey cows on Kanandah were mated to Brahman x Murray Grey bulls also bred on Willalooka. This project was followed over the next two years, by two more consignments of Brahman cows from Flora Valley Station in the Kimberley.
In the early development of Kanandah the three leases were completely enclosed by dingo-proof netting fence. Although in later years being ‘let go’ to a degree in the south, the northern sheep block remained well protected by the dog fence. In 1993 this fence was severely damaged by road construction. The resulting influx of wild dogs made it impractical to continue the economically challenged sheep enterprise. In 1993 the decision to focus solely on cattle was made and by 1997 Kanandah was destocked of sheep.
With declining health, Alan McGregor looked towards selling Kanandah and it went to auction in December 1999. It was bought by the Forrester family from Carnarvon who took over in January 2000. Mark and Karen Forrester continued to run a cattle enterprise.
Reference
Russell Swann (with excerpts from Eric Swann), Pastoral Lease History, Kanandah, Boonderoo and Koonjarra leases, An inventory and condition survey of the Western Australian part of the Nullarbor region, Technical Bulletin No 97, Department of Agriculture and Food, South Perth, Western Australia, 2010.