[2] Rannes was established as a pastoral sheep station property in April 1853 by Scottish brothers James, Norman and Charles Leith Hay.

The brothers named the property Rannes after a Leith Hay family manor house located near Buckie in Scotland.

[3][4] On 11 May 1853, James Leith Hay sent a letter to Lieutenant John Murray, reporting that two of his shepherds had been murdered by Aborigine men and requested the services of the Native Police.

In November 1853, James Leith Hay requested a section of Native Police be posted permanently at Rannes after two men were killed and one hundred sheep stolen.

On the night of 23 September 1855, the Native Police barracks at Rannes was attacked by a large number of Aboriginal men, killing three troopers and leaving all but one wounded.

Murray then led the Native Police and pursued Aborigines "who had taken forcible possession of a station and were prevented from murdering the inhabitants by the timely arrival of the troopers."

[9] Rannes was badly flooded in February 1942 due to heavy rainfall in the Callide Valley swelling the Dee and Don Rivers to be over a mile wide and 46 feet (14 m) deep and flowing very fast.