A Unique History

For over a century Allandale has been in the hands of some of Australia's most prominent cattle companies including that of S Kidman Co. Many of the leases issued were unsustainable due to such small holdings and inexperience in this new land which for so many only bought desert, drought and disappointment.

For many who took up land in the Far North the weather always had the upper hand when it came to determining their success. As the seasons came and went so did the landholders but one who did leave his mark in the Far North is that of George Bennet.

Bennet was well noted for his success and being self made his achievements were documented in the publication 'Our Pastoral Industry' which was published in the earlier part of the last century and it gives great insight to the beginning of pastoralism in South Australia.

It is to Mr George Bennet, owner of Allandale Station, and men of his kind, that the state is much indebted for the largeness and prosperity of its pastoral industry. Like many men to whom South Australia owes its development, Mr Bennet was practically self-made and much of his success is attributed to that of his pastoral run, Allandale. A compact well-watered and conveniently situated property it was considered by many ‘a Blue Ribbon run’ which consisted of 3000 square miles of country which practically surrounded the head of the Great Northern Railway line. In fact, Allandale comprises of three small stations - Wondillina, Warringina and Cecelia Creek. With the exception of four small horse paddocks the entire run was practically unfenced and remained so up until the late 1980’s.

The homestead being some 12 miles from Oodnadatta and four miles from the railway line is picturesquely situated on the edge of the Cecelia Creek was (and perhaps still is) on of the finest stone homes in the Far North. The Cecelia Creek waterhole is three quarters of a mile long, 40 yards wide and when full can be 25 - 30ft deep. Beautiful gums straddle this tranquil piece of water. The house was well appointed inside and out supported by a vegetable garden and fruit orchard. This luxurious style of comfort was a welcome oasis for those travelling over the tablelands.

The thought of occupying the Far North, was for many, deemed hardly fit for European occupation but Bennet saw quality in the gibber desert country and believed that it was some of the best stock country in Australia. With three seasons out of four on average were enough to sustain progress and success. With less than a six inch average he soon realised that no rain gauge in the Far North could possibly give an accurate idea of the general rainfall of the country.

Even in dry times there was good stock feed. Salt Bush, Cotton Bush and an abundance of Mitchell Grass providing first class stock feed. It was the abundance of Mitchell Grass and the perennial plants that insured stock were able to be carried through any dry period that may occur dispelling rumours that the South Australia’s Far North was barren and nothing but drought.

The two principle watercourses are the Neales River and the Cecelia Creek with many other water tributaries that following rains allows sufficient water to be retained for stock.

Bennet was suitable impressed with the fertility of the Far North and marvelled at tablelands that were practically bare and hard as a city street, are, within a week or two of rainfall are green and luxuriant with fodder.

The flats along the Neales are considered the best fattening country in the district.

George Bennet was renown for breeding quality stock. He established a Hereford Stud herd and within a few years was classified was one of the finest and successful herds in the state. Stud bulls were purchased and none were finer than that of the Earl of Trediger, a noted prize winner of no less than four Championship ribbons at Melbourne Royal. Another sire, Sir Grace was by the imported Spark 35th whom was very popular in the early part of the 19th century.

Not by any means did Bennet confined his stock raising enterprise solely to cattle. With 1200 head of stockhorses on Allandale his objective was to breed a class of animal suitable for the Indian Remount trade and for Artillery use. With the use of thoroughbred mares and a number of first class medium draught stallions he set about establishing a quality herd that was in demand by the best of horse buyers.

For it was commonly acknowledged that horses of Central Australia were as good as any breed in the Commonwealth and it was widely accepted that the horses bred on Allandale were equal to any in Central Australia.

It was during George Bennet’s time that the first Great Artesian Basin water bores were drilled on Allandale. These bores were no deeper than 300 feet and quality of water was particularly good, especially at Wondillina where a large quantity of lucerne was established on the edges of the sandhills.

Needless to say the abundant underground water supply and Allandale's numerous deep waterholes invariably bordered by beautiful timber and surrounded in most cases by rich flats highlighted Allandale as one of the most favoured runs in Central Australia and this is still the case today!  

The personal history of Mr George Bennet is of considerable interest. A native of Victor Harbour, where his father (Mr George Bennet) was farming. Born in 1870, he was only 16 when he accompanied his father and brother to the Far North where the later had taken the position of Manager of Macumba Station (situated on the eastern boundary of Allandale) and on this run he met Mr James Allan (owner of Allandale) and it was this association that lay the foundations with George Bennet.

He was quite a young man when fate called upon him to endure one of the most severe trials made possible by the hard conditions of early Central Australia. His father and brother were lifting cattle on Macumba Station during exceedingly hot weather, and by some means which will remain a mystery to this day, they perished with the mob of cattle.

This tragic event did not deter George Bennet from conquering those very elements which had proved so disastrous for his father and brother. He subsequently went to work at Willowie Pastoral Company on Stuarts Creek Station (Coward Springs) until such time an opportunity arose to work for Mr James Allan on the Cecelia Creek run.

His employment with James Allan was a fruitful one and after 6 years he took the position as Head Stockman to Cootanoorina, a property belonging to Mr A.B Murray. After 7 years of service George Bennet decided to start out on his own and with his savings he purchased 500 head and travelled them to some country outside Cecelia Creek. Shortly after his return to the Oodnadatta district, his former employer, Mr James Allan, died and left the Cecelia Creek run to George Bennet.

Like all things in the outback one is at the mercy of Mother Nature and George Bennet was no exception. He was a family man whose success as a pastoralist led him to expand his cattle empire with the purchase of Tempe Downs in the Northern Territory to add to his beloved Allandale.

His passion for fine thoroughbred racing stock led to the establishment of a top class breeding & racing facility in the Adelaide Hills aptly named Allan Park but all this came to a tragic end when Central Australia was hit with an unrelenting drought and like his father before him, George Bennet met his death trying to save drought stricken cattle from his Northern property with his story ending when he came off night watch at 2am and when called at day light on the 16th of May, 1928 he did not answer. Bennet lays in the sand hills on Horse Shoe Bend, just North of Finke in Central Australia with only a plaque as a reminder of this pioneering pastoralist.

Today, the original homestead built by Bennet still stands and has stood the test of time gracefully. Many of the original bronco & cattle yards built by Bennet still stand but are no longer in use in daily property management. This infrastructure serves as a constant reminder of how this unique man saw a great future for the livestock industry. It is for men like Bennet that we owe great thanks for paving the way North for the Pastoral Industry of today!

Over the years Allandale has had a number of individuals take up the lease but only several families have managed to hold the reins through a series of generations - the Scobie family held Allandale from 1937 - 1965;  Lindsay, Trevor & Edith Clarke, 1965 - 1976;  Pamatta Pastoral Company (EA, JH & AT Clarke), 1976 - 1999 and Neales River Livestock, (Andrew & Donnagh Clarke), 1999 - present day!