Based on the available data, determining the single "largest" pastoral station in Western Australia requires some clarification, as there are both cattle and sheep stations of significant size operating in vastly different environments across the state.
The Cattle King: Minderoo Aggregation
For cattle stations, the largest appears to be the Minderoo Aggregation (which includes Minderoo, Uaroo, Nanutarra, and Urala Stations), covering approximately 760,000 hectares and owned by Andrew Forrest's Harvest Road Group. This integrated operation spans the Pilbara region and represents one of the most sophisticated pastoral enterprises in modern Australia.
Minderoo Station (the main property in the aggregation) is located at approximately -22.0° S, 115.04° E (or more precisely, 21°59'46"S, 115°02'35"E).
Location and History
Minderoo is situated about 41 kilometers south of Onslow and 138 kilometers west of Pannawonica in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The property is traversed by the Ashburton River, with approximately 80 kilometers of double frontage to the river—a crucial water resource in this arid landscape. The word "Minderoo" is Aboriginal in origin and means "place of permanent and clean water," a name that reflects the property's most valuable asset in the harsh Pilbara climate.
The station was established in 1867 by E.T. Hooley, who was granted the pastoral lease by the colonial Government of Western Australia as a reward for creating a stock route from Perth to Roebourne. This makes Minderoo one of the oldest continuously operating pastoral properties in the Pilbara, with a history spanning over 150 years.
The station has deep connections to the Forrest family—Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest's ancestors were among the early owners, and he bought back the family property in 2009 after it had been sold in 1998 due to drought and debt. Today, Minderoo is part of Harvest Road's vertically integrated beef supply chain, focusing on breeding composite cattle (including Droughtmaster cross Red Angus, Belmont Red, Angus, Bonsmara, and Senepol breeds) specifically adapted to Western Australia's extensive environments while delivering high-eating quality meat for premium domestic and export markets.
The Sheep Giant: Rawlinna Station
However, the largest sheep station in Western Australia—and indeed in all of Australia—is Rawlinna Station, covering approximately 1,046,323 hectares (about 10,463 square kilometers or 2.6 million acres). This makes Rawlinna significantly larger than the Minderoo Aggregation and a true pastoral colossus.
Located approximately 400 kilometers east of Kalgoorlie in the Goldfields-Esperance region, Rawlinna sits on the edge of the Nullarbor Plain. The property was the vision of Hugh MacLachlan, who in the mid-1950s was traveling from South Australia to Perth on the Indian Pacific railway when the train stopped at a remote siding called Rawlinna. Observing the good quality underground water and miles of open saltbush, bluebush, and grass plains, MacLachlan saw opportunity where others saw desolation.
He first placed a survey peg in the ground during the 1960s and through meticulous planning and substantial investment established what became Australia's most efficient and largest sheep station. The property features a renowned boundary exclusion fence spanning approximately 400 kilometers in length and is widely regarded as an excellent example of planning and land management.
Rawlinna has a carrying capacity of around 70,000 sheep and has shorn more than 30,000 sheep in recent years, making it a powerhouse of wool production. The station was owned by the Jumbuck Pastoral Company (the MacLachlan family) until 2025, when it was purchased by Consolidated Pastoral Company (CPC), which plans to continue and expand its Merino sheep and wool production.
Two Giants, Two Worlds
The contrast between Minderoo and Rawlinna illustrates the diversity of Western Australia's pastoral industry. Minderoo operates in the tropical Pilbara with its red dust, intense heat, and reliance on the Ashburton River, breeding cattle adapted to harsh northern conditions. Rawlinna, by contrast, sits on the semi-arid Nullarbor fringe, where vast open plains support massive flocks of Merino sheep producing premium wool for international markets.
Together, these two operations represent the scale, innovation, and resilience that define Western Australian pastoralism—where success is measured not just in hectares, but in the ability to work with the land's natural rhythms and produce world-class livestock in some of Australia's most challenging environments.
