Glen Helen Station

Glen Helen Station is one of the few stations to have survived the early pastoral days. It is now a famous tourist venue. According to the historian and anthropologist Dick Kimber, the station was first established towards the end of 1878 by A.W Grant and F.W Stokes, two of the biggest pastoralists in South Australia (Kimber, 1991, 8). (Peter Forrest, however, puts the date at nearer to 1876.) In his 'Centralian Advocate' station series, published in 1984, Forrest writes that Grant and Stokes sought out land in Central Australia after losing a great deal of country in 1875 during ‘a resumption for agricultural purposes’ (Forrrest, 1984, 7). On the advice of Colonel Warburton the pair decided to venture into Central Australia to try and recoup their losses. Richard Warburton, the colonel’s son, was sent to explore the West Macs in search of suitable country. He found and named Glen Helen Gorge. Grant and Stokes soon set about establishing a station. One of the shareholders included Dr Charles Chewings. Allan Breaden was the first manager, residing on the first of four homesteads that would eventually be built on the property. Breaden was responsible for bringing the first cattle to the area. His stockmen included George Ballingall, George Tucker and Tommy Lee. By 1880 there were 400 cows on Glen Helen and Idracowra, the latter of which was also established by Grant and Stokes. While the station began well, it wasn’t long before the work and the property was abandoned following ongoing conflict with local Aboriginal tribes and climactic and market pressures (Bowman, 2). In around 1900 Gus Elliott (who would later move to Horseshoe Bend) and Robert Coulthard took up the area on a Grazing Licence in order to run their cattle. The two men built a second homestead, this time on the Crawford Creek, approximately six miles west from Red Bank Gorge and five miles south of Mt Razorback. Little is known about this period but according to Bryan Bowman the pair did well (Bowman, 4). After a few years, however, the partnership dissolved and the two men split the cattle between them. Elliot went to Idracowra and then to Horseshoe Bend, while Coulthard went to Tempe Downs. Glen Helen was once again abandoned. The year was approximately 1904 or 1905. In 1905 Fred Raggett took up the lease. Raggett built the third homestead, which is on the same site as the current chalet. According to Forrest, Raggett lived frugally and managed to keep the station going until around 1928-1930 when he suffered huge stock losses. He eventually sold the station to Bryan Bowman in 1938. Bowman went onto build the fourth homestead which now serves as a tourist venue, general store and cafe (Bowman, pp 2-11). REFERENCE Bryan Bowman, Glen Helen Story, pamphlet. Pub details?? Peter Forrest, 'Glen Helen', in "Centralian Advocate", 25 May, 1984, p 7 Dick Kimber, 'The end of the bad old days: European Settlement in Central Australia, 1871-1894', Occasional Papers No 25, The Fifth Eric Johnston Lecture delivered at the State Library of the Northern Territory, 9 November, 1990 (Darwin: State Library of the Northern Territory: Darwin, 1991), p 4 Jose Petrick, The History of Alice Springs Through Landmarks and Street Names, 4th edition, 2005, published? Self?