The pastoral lease and station of Melangata is smaller than its neighbours Jingemara Station (to the west), Dalgaranga Station (to the east), and Meka Station to the north, and has rougher country compared to the adjacent stations. Originally a sheep station it has been more recently a goat export receival station. The station is on the older Yalgoo to Cue track that was a route much more direct than rail connection between Yalgoo and Cue that travels to Mount Magnet.[4]
It lies at the upper reaches of the Greenough River catchment (which drops to the west), and to the north of the Sanford river catchment.
On the northern border of the lease is a named feature Nooloojoo Hill.
A short road across the south west corner is known as "Melangata Road";[5] it links Yalgoo North Road with the Dalgaranga and Cue Dalgaranga roads.
Like most stations in the area it has its own airstrip, and because of its position maps of the area are named after the station.[6][7]
Most of the leases surrounding Melangata were taken in the 1880s, but Melangata was not leased until 1897. C.C. Williamson acquired the property in 1915 and had the homestead commissioned in 1917.[8]
The station was on sheep shearing lists as early as 1915, with a scheduled number of 2500 sheep to be shorn.[9]
The Seaman family had a long interest in the station.[10][11][12]
Melangata was sold in 2013 for A$475,000, the 45,122-hectare (111,499-acre) property was stocked with approximately 1,500 damaras at the time.[13]
Homestead
The John Hawes designed homestead was built in 1917 and is constructed of stone with a corrugated iron roof.[8] It consists of six bedrooms, a large living area, an unusual turret and a chapel with altar.
The breezeways are without doors, allowing a constant flow of air throughout the structure.[13] Another feature is the hand-painted pressed metal ceilings, similar to those at Noongal and Carlaminda Stations.[8]
^Details of the adjacent pastoral leases and geography are on map 123 of Western Australia. Dept. of Land Information (2006), Travellers atlas of Western Australia (9th ed.), Dept. of Land Information, ISBN978-1-921048-13-5 and earlier history of the area in [1] the Heritage WA resgistation of the Melangata homestead
^"RURAL TOPICS". The Sunday Times. Perth: National Library of Australia. 30 May 1926. p. 8 Section: Second Section. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
^Australia. Army. Royal Australian Survey Corps (1978), Melangata (Ed. 1 ed.), Royal Australian Survey Corps, retrieved 23 January 2014
^Also in the Heritage Council reference to a conversation – At Melangata between John Taylor Architect and Mr Jim and Mrs Peggy Seaman 29 March 1994... – they were at the station between 1947–1990s