▁of ▁a ▁ran ch ) ▁in ▁Australia ▁or ▁New ▁Zealand ▁whose ▁main ▁activity ▁is ▁the ▁raising ▁of ▁sheep ▁for ▁their ▁w ool ▁and ▁meat . ▁In ▁Australia , ▁sheep ▁stations ▁are ▁usually ▁in ▁the ▁south - east ▁or ▁south - west ▁of ▁the ▁country . ▁In ▁New ▁Zealand ▁the ▁Mer inos ▁are ▁usually ▁in ▁the ▁high ▁country ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁Island . ▁These ▁properties ▁may ▁be ▁thousands ▁of ▁square ▁kilometres ▁in ▁size ▁and ▁run ▁low ▁stock ing ▁rates ▁to ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁sust ain ably ▁provide ▁enough ▁feed ▁and ▁water ▁for ▁the ▁stock . ▁ ▁She ep ▁stations ▁and ▁sheep ▁husband ry ▁began ▁in ▁Australia ▁when ▁the ▁British ▁started ▁raising ▁sheep ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 8 ▁at ▁Sydney ▁C ove . ▁ ▁In ▁Australia , ▁the ▁owner ▁of ▁a ▁sheep ▁station ▁can ▁be ▁called ▁a ▁past oral ist , ▁gra z ier ; ▁or ▁formerly , ▁a ▁squ atter , ▁as ▁in ▁" W alt zing ▁Mat ilda ". ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Australian ▁and ▁New ▁Zealand ▁context , ▁she aring ▁involves ▁an ▁annual ▁must er ▁of ▁sheep ▁to ▁be ▁sh orn , ▁and ▁the ▁she aring ▁shed ▁and ▁she ar ers ' ▁qu arters ▁are ▁an ▁important ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁station . ▁A ▁station ▁usually ▁also ▁includes ▁a ▁hom est ead , ▁adjacent ▁sh eds , ▁wind m ills , ▁d ams , ▁sil os ▁and ▁in ▁many ▁cases ▁a ▁landing ▁strip ▁available ▁for ▁use ▁by ▁the ▁Royal ▁F lying ▁Doctor ▁Service ▁and ▁other ▁light ▁aircraft . ▁ ▁Some ▁of ▁these ▁items