Newcastle Waters is a magnificent 10,353 sq km breeding property in the west Barkly region of the Northern Territory.

Its open plains, flood country and timbered sand hills carry 45,000 head of cattle including 20,000 commercial Brahman breeders. The historic property is also home to Newcastle Waters Brahman stud, which comprises 2,600 stud females including 20 single sire herds. The stud produces quality, acclimatised herd bulls for CPC's northern properties.

Its annual turnoff of 13,000 head are finished according to market demands, with the steer portion being taken at five to seven months for fattening as Jap ox on the Queensland properties or sent to the Kimberley properties for growing out prior to export from Wyndham as feeder or slaughter steers.

Steers and surplus heifers are also grown out on the property and are exported from Darwin at 18 to 20 months of age.

Newcastle Waters was named (in 1861) by explorer John Stuart while attempting to cross the continent from Adelaide to the northern coastline. Records show that he "Came across a splendid reach of water… This I have named Newcastle Waters after his Grace, the Duke of Newcastle, Secretary for the Colonies." The water he referred to is today known as Longreach Hole which overflows into Lake Woods and its surrounds provide some of the best grazing country on the property.

The first lessee of Newcastle Waters was Englishman Dr Browne, who in 1883 contracted Alfred Giles, an Overland Telegraph Line worker, to establish a homestead and stock the newly-acquired lease with cattle walked from Queensland.

The Hon. John Lewis, who in 1872 had operated a 480 km pony express service in the area, purchased the lease in 1895, his family retaining the property until 1952. It then sold to Roy Edwards and partners before selling in 1980 to Ashburton Pastoral Co, a partnership between Ken Warriner, Peter Baillieu and Tony Chisolm.

The purchase of Newcastle Waters in 1983 by Mr Packer was the genesis of Consolidated Pastoral Co which became a company in its own right in 1992.

Contact

Newcastle Waters Station
Newcastle Waters, Northern Territory, 0862
Ph: 08 8964 4527
Fax: 08 8964 4533
Email: newcastlewaters@pastoral.com

Return To Properties