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Wilgena Station most commonly known as Wilgena is a pastoral lease that operates as a sheep station in outback South Australia.
It is situated about 180 kilometres (112 mi) north east of Ceduna and 197 kilometres (122 mi) south of Coober Pedy, the Trans-Australian Railway line passes through the property near the small town of Tarcoola. The soil is reasonably fertile but rainfall is unpredictable an average of about 6 inches (152 mm) per year but salt bush thrives making good fodder for sheep.
Currently the station occupies an area of 4,742 square kilometres (1,831 sq mi) and is owned by A.J. and P.A. McBride Pty. Ltd. and raise merino sheep for their wool and meat, the property is managed by James Gibson. 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. The property was split up during the 1980s into two properties; Wilgena and the 4,039 square kilometres (1,559 sq mi) North Well Station, which is run as a separate company enterprise.
The property is home to several rock holes that are able to trap water and were of great significance to the local Aboriginal peoples. Some of the larger ones are Adelbing which holds a volume of 22,727 litres (4,999 imp gal) and Coolbring which has a volume of 13,636 litres (3,000 imp gal).
Main and Sells owned the property in 1882 when they placed it up for auction along with Yardea Station. Wilgena occupied an area of 943 square miles (2,442 km2) and was stocked with 400 head of mixed cattle. 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.
In 1909 the lessee was Simon Matheson who was keen to sell the property in 1911. In 1913 a half interest of the station was sold to Henry Teesdale Smith for £5,000. The property was sold again, including Matheson's remaining half share, in 1918 to Joseph Timms for £14.000.
The property was offered to the government of soldier settlement in 1922 when it had an area of over 2,000 square miles (5,180 km2) and was at the far western end of the railway line from Adelaide. The property was sold instead by the present owner, Joseph Timms, who had held the property for the previous few years. The 2,971 square miles (7,695 km2) station was bought by A.J. and P.A. McBride who owned other properties in the area such as Yardea in the area. Wilgena had once been stocked with 70,000 sheep but had been used to graze cattle on under Timms' management. The McBrides reverted to running sheep again.
In 1954 the station covered an area of 3,000 square miles (7,770 km2) and carried a flock of about 45,000 sheep. The property had a plentiful supply of artesian water and the homestead is situated near the middle of the property.
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 '.