Murray Downs Station

Located 400 kms NE of Alice Springs
Wwith an area of5604 sq kms

Murray Downs was first held from 1881 by the Musgrave Range and Northern Territory Pastoral Land Company, a speculative partnership of South Australians, including A.M. Wooldridge, D. Murray and J.B. Spence. The partners failed to raise capital in England and their country was forfeited, to be taken over by the Barrow Creek Pastoral Company after its 1885 withdrawal to Stirling from AnnaÕs Reservoir, Murray Downs was at this time stocked as an outstation of Stirling. In 1890 the Barrow Creek Pastoral Company abandoned the area at a heavy loss. Some of the area was occupied by the Willowrie Land and Pastoral Company (retreating from the Frew River area) but Willowrie in turn abandoned the area in 1896.

In 1921 H.H. Pepperell applied for vacant country in the area, and a lease called Murray Downs was granted to him. This lease was transferred to W.E. Ayliffe and then to J.A. Harris in 1924. Harris consolidated the station, then sold to Burge Brown in 1949. A 440 sq kms area was excised for Warrabri (now called Ali Curung) in 1956. Murray Downs passed on to C.H. & L.V. Bridgeford of Victoria in 1962 with Max Cluff managing the property.

In 1963 whilst Max and family were enjoying Christmas with family at Eppenarra Station the homesteas was razed to the ground by fire started by a kero fridge, along with all the CluffÕs possessions much of the stationÕs historical records went up in smoke.

The Bridgeforsa sold to G. & A.E. Froiland of Victoria in 1967, the station was managed for a time by Bert Jones, then Joe and Tania Oldfield. Gis Froiland died suddenly in February 1974 with Shirley Froiland dying in May of the following year. Joe and Tania stayed on as managers for the Froiland Estate.

In 1979 Murray Downs was auctioned to wind up the Froiland Estates and the purchasers were Terry leigh and George Summers and was managed by Ken Paige from 1979 to 1985. This ownership continued until 1985, when the Leigh and Summers partnership was dissolved. Murray Downs continues to be owned and managed by the Leigh family.