Canowie station was established by Dr John Harris Browne in the 1840s then sold to Henry Strong Price from whom Richard Boucher James bought it about 1857 in partnership with Abraham Scott and J F Hayward. At this time it was stocked with over 28,000 sheep. When this partnership was dissolved in 1869 it carried 63,000 sheep. The station was subsequently owned by Fred Hayward in partnership with R B James and William Sanders. In 1894 the Canowie Pastoral Company was formed and by the early 20th century most of the land had been sold with the last area sold in 1925.

Thomas Goode was the manager at Canowie when it was owned by Abraham Scott. He also managed the Petherton run (near Mt Bryan) in the late 19th century before it was sold to the government for closer settlement.

Cockburn, R Pastoral pioneers of South Australia Adelaide : Publishers Limited, 1925-1927 ("Reprinted from the Adelaide Stock and Station Journal.") vl. 1 p. 127; vol. 2 p. 67

Mincham, Hans The story of the Flinders Ranges Adelaide: Rigby, 1967

Sanders, W. B. William Sanders and some "Canowie" history Adelaide: Pioneers' Association of S.A., 1944

The Canowie Stud, Hallett, South Australia : plain-bodied merino sheep, a souvenir [Melbourne: Pastoral Review, 1914]

Sweet, Samuel White Canowie Station 1872 B 10662

Sweet, Samuel White Canowie Station - Manager's house and grounds B 10661

Views of South Australia : Canowie 1880 B 62414/2/54