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Angorichina Station.
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Angorichina Station was first taken up in the 1850s by Boord and although situated in the Northern Flinders Ranges, with very few tracks leading north of Port Augusta, it was visited regularly. During 1859 it were A.R.C. Selwyn and G.W. Goyder who called in during a survey trip of the north. The last visitor that year was the Governor of the colony, Sir Richard MacDonnell. It was during this trip that the governor and his party had a memorable experience of the northern weather. They had seen some of the extraordinary desolation of some of the northern stations and clouds of grasshoppers eating the little feed still available. Then while camping one night, on their way to Angepena Station, rain fell with tropical violence for nearly two hours. The previously large dry creek became the channel of a raging torrent almost two metres deep.
It was also during 1859 that one of the station's shepherds, Robert Blinman, discovered copper on the Angorichina run and took out a mining lease which later became the Blinman mine. With the increasing number of visitors calling in, A. Paterson opened an eating house to cater for some of the travellers. He did well until it was destroyed by fire in March 1862. In 1862 Angorichina changed to Henry C. Swan who owned it for many years to come. He greatly expanded the station by taking out several more leases. He lived on the station until February 1870 when he appointed Frank Warwick manager. The North Blinman Hotel was booked for this occasion and more than thirty men, presided over by J.P. Buttfield, were there to wish him well.
In October 1877, when the station carried almost 14,000 sheep and 250 head of cattle, it was sold to Edward Spicer who with William Ranson Mortlock acquired the lease in 1878. William Mortlock was the overseer from 1889 until 1891.
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