Mt Weld Station
Mt Weld Station
Mount Weld since 2011, has been a mine site in Western Australia leased by Lynas Rare Earths. It’s still a pastoral property too, this has been its history for over a century. The property is located about 30 km south of Laverton and 120 km east of Leonora; approximately 1,000km north east of Perth. It’s one of the richest major rare earth deposits in the world.
At the Laverton country races in 1914, one race was the Mt Weld Cup. All horses at these races were station horses, no Thoroughbreds. Wood Bug won, closely followed by Blue Gum and Mrs Pankhurst. Horses from Mt Weld station usually entered these races.
Mr George A. McOmish owned the station from the 1890’s and sold it in 1920, he had cattle and very good horses there. The new owners – the Repatriation Department – would not agree with him about a price for the stock. McOmish had thought selling them the property would benefit returned soldiers. He was quickly disillusioned but left the stock behind for them for nothing – but was told to have them all off within 6 months (unable to discover if he managed this).
Once mining re-commenced, in modern times, a small herd of wild horses were removed from the station and DNA testing has shown they are a group distinct from the horses so far tested in Central Australia, as they are so isolated from that area.
Read more about this station here.
Foundation Waler Stations
