Meentheena Station is a historic cattle station in Western Australia.[1][2]
It is located approximately 70-80 kilometers east of Marble Bar.[1][3]
It operated as a cattle station for many years, before being turned into a retreat location for Australian military veterans.[3]
As a cattle station, it was at one stage operated by a pastoralist named Charlie Blair.[4] Bill Dunn worked there at an early stage of his career as a cattle drover.[5] The station has been noted by historians as a relatively good place of work for Aboriginal Australians of the time, with Blair paying his aboriginal workers in cash wages prior to the practice becoming more widespread.[6] Blair was also noted to have treated Dunn as family and not discriminated against him on account of his race.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b "Missing Pilbara town records reveal famous marriage". ABC News. 2014-08-11. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
- ^ "Veterans find peace at a remote Pilbara station". ABC News. 2014-08-18. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
- ^ a b "Meentheena Veteran's Retreat". www.abc.net.au. 2014-08-18. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
- ^ "ITEMS OF NEWS". Kalgoorlie Miner. 1950-05-15. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
- ^ Wilson, Graham (2002). Pilbara Bushman. Hesperian Press. pp. 19–21.
- ^ Pilbara Bushman.
Long before outside pressures forced other pastoralists to act, Blair introduced cash payment of wages.
- ^ Pilbara Bushman. p. 19.
With the Blairs he felt part of the family and this place was on the place he called home. Here he felt fun and appreciated. There was no discrimination on account of his colour.