Why are ranches in Australia called stations?
Abigail Rogers
Updated on February 25, 2026
In Australia, a large land holding used for livestock production is known as a ‘station’ – this originally referred to the main residence and outbuildings of a pastoral property but now generally refers to the whole land holding.
What is the largest cattle ranch in Australia?
Anna Creek
Anna Creek is not only Australia’s biggest cattle station; it’s the largest in the world. The station covers a total of around 24,000 square kilometers.
What do Australians call farmers?
People Slang
| PEOPLE | |
|---|---|
| Ankle biter : | small child |
| Cockie : | farmer. Also a cockatoo |
| Cook : | one’s wife |
| Cranky : | in a bad mood, angry |
How big is the biggest cattle station in Australia?
In fact, some Australian stations are bigger than some European countries Take Anna Creek Station, well known as the biggest Australian cattle station: this station in the Outback of South Australia covers 6,000,000 acres, or 34,000 km 2.
How big is the biggest cattle ranch in Australia?
In fact, some Australian stations are bigger than some European countries Take Anna Creek Station, well known as the biggest Australian cattle station: this station in the Outback of South Australia covers 6,000,000 acres, or 34,000 km 2. (Belgium by comparison is just over 30,000 km 2, and the biggest American ranch is about 6,000 km 2 .)
How to find work on Australian outback cattle stations?
Finding Work On Australian Outback Cattle Stations 1 Outback International (Unfortunately this resource does not exist any more.) 2 Anna Brown Recruitment might be worth looking at even if you don’t have any experience. 3 The Job Shop WA based, works specifically with backpackers, travellers and students.
Why are horses still used to round up cattle in Australia?
Because of the rugged nature of the Australian Outback a lot of the mustering is still done on horseback. Even though more and more stations are using helicopters and motor bikes to help with rounding up cattle, horses are absolutely essential to the operations of a large cattle station.
