In 1879 the South Australian Government granted Charles Brown Fisher and J Maurice Lyons a lease over 15,890 square miles of land to form the cattle station, Victoria River Downs. Financial difficulties led them to take out a mortgage with R Goldsbrough and Company in 1886. After an attempt by the Northern Australian Territory Company Ltd to buy the land fell through Goldsbrough Mort and Company became the property's owners in 1887. In 1900 Goldsbrough Mort sold the station to a syndicate comprising Forrest Emmanuel and Company, Kidman Brothers, GS Yull and R and BJH Richards. The station was then bought in 1909 by Bovril Australian Estates Pty Ltd which sold the station to William Lionel Buckland in 1955. In 1960 it was sold to the Hooker Investment Corporation Ltd who in 1984 sold it to Peter Sherwin. Since 1989 the station has been owned by the Haytesbury Pastoral Company and is now managed by Janet Holmes a' Court.