The McBride family purchased the property in 1923 and at one stage Wilgena was regarded as the largest totally fenced sheep run in the world.
[3] The property is home to several rock holes that are able to trap water and were of great significance to the local Aboriginal peoples.
Wilgena occupied an area of 943 square miles (2,442 km2) at that time and was stocked with 400 head of mixed cattle.
[5] By 1884 the property encompassed an area of 1,150 square miles (2,978 km2) and was stocked with 800 cattle, and was sinking wells that would provide for an estimated 40,000 sheep.
[1] The land occupying the extent of the Wilgena Station pastoral lease was gazetted as a locality by the Government of South Australia on 26 April 2013 under the name 'Wilgena'.