The pastoral station is associated with the early history of Australia and the Queensland area.[1] The export of cattle and meat were primary sources of income and closely associated with over economic growth of Australia.
In 1895 the station had around 35,000 cattle and also drafted horses.[1]
Fats and other meat by-products discarded were passed on to the Alligator Creek meatworks or the Ross River Meatworks for further processing and sale.[1]
White ants were a problem at the station, destroying the original fence work made out of iron bark, which was replaced by stonework.[1]
In 1918, the Government purchased the station.[2] One of the conditions of purchase is that the vendor needed to invest part of the sale proceeds in government debentures for a period of time.[2]
Richard Morton Machan (who was known for his later contributions and for being the namesake of the suburb of Machans Beach) worked at the station, which at the time was considered to be part of Georgetown.
Trading as the “Welcome Downs Cattle Co.” (Keough Family Trust),[3] it currently operates on Lyndhurst Station, Einsasleigh Qld.