Hamilton Downs Station

Hamilton Downs Station was a cattle station west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is now a youth camp.

Hamilton Downs Station
Location in the Northern Territory

Establishment
The old homestead on Hamilton Downs Station

Hamilton Downs was established in 1910 by hotel manager Sid Stanes Jr. and Ted Harris. Its is named after a spring near Jay Creek which was named by John McDouall Stuart in 1860, after his supporter George Hamilton.[1] The first substantial homestead was built in 1913.[2]

By the 1940s, it was run by the Davis Brothers, Pat and John who invested in developing the water infrastructure of the property.[3][4] by the 1950s the property was turning of over 3000 head of cattle per year.[5]

Queen Elizabeth II visited the station in February 1963, during her Australian tour.[6]

Recent history

Hamilton Downs has also been the location of a youth camp since March 1978. It was run by Apex Club of Central Australia but is now managed by an independent committee.[7]

Significant restoration works were completed on the homesteads and stables in 1972. Five buildings on the property were heritage listed in 1993.[2] The station celebrated its 100th birthday in 2011.[8]

See also

References
  1. Volling, Tom (10 May 2016). "NT's pastoral history brought back to life with restoration of meat house on Hamilton Downs Station". NT News.
  2. "Old Hamilton Downs Station". NT Heritage Register. Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  3. "A MODERN STATION". Centralian Advocate. II (97). Northern Territory, Australia. 8 April 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 13 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "IMPROVEMENTS CONTINUING AT HAMILTON DOWNS". Centralian Advocate. III (127). Northern Territory, Australia. 4 November 1949. p. 8. Retrieved 13 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "EX-V.R.D. MANAGER BUYS CRITICISM". Centralian Advocate. VI (309). Northern Territory, Australia. 8 May 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 13 November 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "The visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Hamilton Downs Station". Territory Stories. Northern Territory Library. 26 February 1963. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  7. "Home". Hamilton Downs Youth Camp. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  8. Lee, Nicole (13 May 2011). "100 years of Hamilton Downs". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC Alice Springs. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
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