Family History

Stephen's Great Grand Father, William Vincent Schmidt and his wife Polly (Mary Agnes) gained 7 of the leases resumed by the NSW government back in 1935. Prior to this William already had other lease hold country another 56 kilometers up to the north of Eldee Station called Mount WooWoolahra Station which he and his wife Polly and their 6 children Bill, Molly, Patrick, Harry, Johnny and Dorothy also managed and worked.

The Schmidt's originally traveled out from Germany in the 1830's and settled in South Australia and later on had spread out to Terowie by the late 1800's. The Children and in particular William Vincent and his twin brother Francis and 2 other brothers Tom and Jim Schmidt moved north to work on large stations and also lived at the Torrowangee township north of Broken Hill near the flux quarry. Torrowangee is now part of Poolamacca Station to the North East of Eldee Station. Part of the main homestead here at Eldee Station was a cottage jinkered down from the township of Torrowangee to Eldee and rebuilt. It was certainly the case that recycling occurred in the outback way before it became fashionable in our contemporary world today.

Stephen's great uncles worked on many of the stations in the region including Yancannia and particularly on Corona, and Mundi Mundi Stations. The sons specialised in timbering wells, reconditioning wells, excavating and building large earth dams and overseeing. Some of the tools associated with these activities can still be seen on display at Eldee today.