Australia Travel Guide
> SA >
Clare Valley >
Attractions >
Bungaree Station, SA Australia
| Address | Main North Road,
Clare
South Australia, 5453, Australia | | Enquiries : | Send an enquiry to Bungaree Station | | Telephone Enquiries : | 08-8842 2677 |
The story of Bungaree as we know it begins on Christmas Day, 1841, when George C Hawker and his brothers, James and Charles, selected this as the site for their head station.
Initially they had purchased 2000 ewes that had been walked overland from New South Wales, and the brothers had taken up too small a lease near Nuriootpa.
They then visited the explorer, Edward John Eyre, and on his recommendation they continued on North of Horrocks Farm now known as Penwortham in search of sufficient good land, along the Hutt River. Much of the water was brackish and so according to James's diary, when they found good drinkable water at a depth of eight feet and plenty of it, they decided to make this their headquarters. There is a note in George Hawker's diary in April 1842 saying name of station - Bungaree which was apparently the native name for the area.
Parts of the stone buildings which are still in use today date back to 1842. Indeed all the stone buildings were constructed by the end of the 1860s. These are made of sandstone quarried nearby and at first they were roofed with reeds carted from the skilly, then with red stringy-bark shingles cut from the hills south of Clare. The galvanised iron roofs were added in the 1880s.
The station complex, outwardly almost unchanged since the horse and buggy days, has been adapted through the years to become an efficient headquarters for a mixed farm in these days of diesel power.
The original station was made up of the 80 acre homestead block plus some 260 square miles of leasehold country. As the land was thrown open for closer settlement and the forms of land tenure changed, the area was steadily reduced. Crops of wheat and millet were first planted in 1842 and today cereal farming wheat, oats and barley is carried out in conjunction with pasture development and renovation.
The sheep have always been of primary importance at Bungaree and today there remains only two well known Merino studs, Bungaree and Anama, run by great grandsons of G C Hawker still on the land that was once part of this holding.
Bungaree Station is rather like a rural village, with its own church, station store, school and homestead. It is situated 140 kilometres from Adelaide in the Clare Valley. This beautiful property is not a museum but rather a living record of rural Australia since 1841. It is still owned and managed by descendants of the original pioneer, George Charles Hawker, the 4th and 5th generation of the Hawker family on this land.
At Bungaree the choice is yours. We have heritage cottage accommodation to suit honeymooners looking for an intimate escape (The Lodge or the Statllion Box) while at the same time we have the facilities to cater for groups of friends, family re-unions, conference delegates and schools. Our guests also have a wide range of alternatives, all meals can be provided while at the same time our cottages are set up for those who wish to prepare their own food.
Read about these accommodation options on our website:
The Manager's House
The Council Chambers
The Station Store/Office
The Stable Yard and Gymnasium
The Men’s Kitchen
The Woolshed
The Swagger’s Hut
The Shearer's Quarters
The Lodge
The Shearer's Quarters and cottages
Bungaree is essentially a working property, in a lovely part of the country. We hope that whilst you are here, you have the opportunity to relax and enjoy the surroundings with us.
|
| Accreditation | National Tourism Accreditation Program. | | Activity | Animal Viewing, Birdwatching, Farm/Station, Lessons/Tutorials. | | Entity Facility | Access With Assistance for the Disabled, BBQ Facilities, Car park, Child Activities/Child Minding, Coach Parking, Conference/Convention Facilities, First aid equipment, Parking for the Disabled, Picnic Area, Restaurant - Licensed, Shaded Area, Sheltered Area. | | Experience | Farm Stay, Flora/Fauna, Historic/Heritage, Wildlife. |
|
|
|
Previous 7 Days
