around 1870 the sons turned their attention from cattle to sheep, which thrived and soon they had built up their small flock to some 200,000.then came the "seven years' drought" 1880–1886, and their numbers fell to 12,000. the sons ran the stations until 1899 when, in the grip of the federation drought, the lease was resumed, was sold to ben chaffey in 1909, who later sold it to arthur crozier.