Yeeda Station

[2][3] The local peoples know the area as Mardoowarra; the river and its vast floodplains are of great spiritual, cultural, medicinal and ecological significance to them.

The Government revenue cutter Ruby succeeded in passing over the sandbar at the mouth of the Fitzroy and anchored at the confluence of the Yeeda in 1881 where, at low tide, "there was a very good landing for stock".

[8] Captain Walcott explored much of the river and the surrounding waterways as part of the same expedition, describing the excellent pasture available, and of landing stock and stores for settlers.

Walcott was briefed by George Julius Brockman, who was on the same expedition, that the area around the Yeeda and Meda Rivers was all of "excellent description".

[10] The main homestead is reported as the first house built in the Kimberley when the property was owned by the Murray Squatting Company, headed by Geo P. Patterson of Pinjarra.

[11] Cattle were introduced to the station in 1882 when Paterson returned to the north, but sheep were still being shipped to the property from Cossack to Beagle Bay.

[12] A gold rush started soon afterwards to the headwaters of the Fitzroy, Ord and Margaret Rivers following the release of a geological survey from Derby and around much of the West Kimberley including Yeeda in 1884.

[26] Mr W. Steele was the station manager in 1924, the same year an Aboriginal woman from the property contracted leprosy and was sent to Derby for treatment.

[29] The replacement manager, Frederick Hugh Fraser, was arrested in 1945 for cattle stealing from the Emanuel Brothers Napier Downs Pastoral Company.

[30] More flooding occurred at the property in 1947 following a cyclone crossing the coast, with Yeeda recording 7.1 inches (180 mm) of rain in a 24-hour period.

George Mawley, who was a part owner of Yeeda, predicted a shortage of store bullocks in four years time as a result of the losses.

[33] Heavy rains were received the next year resulting in the death of a stockman from the property who drowned in 1954 when attempting to cross the swollen river.