Editing Channel Country (section)

==History==
[[Indigenous Australian]]s have inhabited the area for approximately 20,000 years, with over 25 tribal groups living in the Channel Country area. A vast trade network had been established running from north to south with goods such as [[ochre]] sent north with shells and [[pituri]] moved south. [[Birdsville, Queensland|Birdsville]] was once a major meeting place for conducting ceremonies and trade.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lakeeyrebasin.org.au/archive/media/gdcc.pdf|title=Georgina-Diamantina Catchment Strategic Plan|date=1 October 2000|access-date=26 October 2013|publisher=Natural Heritage Trust|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029185651/http://www.lakeeyrebasin.org.au/archive/media/gdcc.pdf|archive-date=29 October 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Originally known as ''Diamantina Crossing'',<ref name="qh">{{cite web |url=http://www.queenslandholidays.com.au/destinations/queensland-locations/birdsville/index.cfm |title=Birdsville |work=Queensland Holidays |publisher=Tourism Queensland |access-date=11 March 2012 }}</ref> it bore its current name by 1882,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13525962 |title=The far north. |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=19 August 1882 |access-date=11 May 2014 |page=9 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> and the name was formalised at the proclamation of the town in 1887.

[[Innamincka Station]] was established in 1872 by Robert Bostock and grew until it covered over {{convert|15000|sqkm|sqmi|0}} and in 1881 it supported a herd of 8,000 cattle.<ref name="frr">{{cite web|url=http://www.southaustralianhistory.com.au/innamincka.htm|title=Innamincka|publisher=Flinders Ranges Research|year=2012|access-date=14 May 2016|archive-date=25 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025221540/http://www.southaustralianhistory.com.au/innamincka.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> The first station and permanent settlement set up along the [[Cooper Creek]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The Australian Geographic Book of Corner Country |last=Reardon |first=Mitch |year=1995 |publisher=[[Australian Geographic]] |location=Terrey Hills, New South Wales |isbn=1-86276-012-8 |pages=91&mdash;108 }}</ref> The tender was accepted for the run named [[Caryapundy]] by J. C. Myers in 1872. Myers has also had his tenders accepted for other runs such as Bollwarry, Mount Wood, Teriwinda and Torrens Creek.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60869064 |title=Government Gazette|newspaper=[[Empire (newspaper)|The Empire]] |location=Sydney, New South Wales |date=11 December 1872 |access-date=16 June 2013 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

[[Annandale Station (pastoral lease)|Annandale Station]] was established when Patrick Drinan took up the run in July 1876. Other properties were settled soon afterward including Kaliduwarry and [[Glengyle Station]]s.<ref name="Ref1">{{cite web|url=http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/eserv/UQ:207889/s18378366_1940_3_2_100.pdf|title=The South West Corner of Queensland|author=S.E. Pearson|year=1937|access-date=14 May 2016|publisher=[[University of Queensland]]}}</ref> [[Pandie Pandie Station]] was established in the same year by Robert Frew<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.diamantina.qld.gov.au/history|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130503230600/http://www.diamantina.qld.gov.au/history|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 May 2013|title=Diamantine Shire History|year=2012|access-date=9 June 2013|publisher=[[Diamantina Shire]]}}</ref> as was [[Alton Downs Station|Alton Downs]] and Planet Downs.<ref name="smh">{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/queensland/birdsville/2005/02/17/1108500202131.html|title=Birdsville|date=8 February 2004|access-date=9 June 2013|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]}}</ref> Nearby Haddon Downs station was also taken up by Frew in 1877.<ref name="uq">{{cite web|url=http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/eserv/UQ:207889/s18378366_1940_3_2_100.pdf|title=The South West corner of Queensland|year=1937|access-date=9 June 2013|author=S. E. Pearson|publisher=University of Queensland}}</ref> [[Diamantina Lakes Station]] was also established in 1876 with a partnership between John Arthur Macartney and Hugh Louis Heber-Percy who initially took up the lease.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20905404 |title=Obituary|newspaper=[[The Brisbane Courier]] |location=Queensland|date=8 April 1925 |access-date=2 May 2013 |page=12 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>