WOOL — A PROUD HERITAGE

People have been using wool for and exporter of fine woollen cloth in the suit when first introduced to King clothing and textiles for thousands the 14th and 15th centuries. George III. of years. The British wool industry expanded In 1829, one of the Reverend’s rams Sheep are not native to Australia and internationally and towards the end of produced a fleece, which London wool the story of their introduction starts the 17th century, six Spanish Merino buyers said ‘was the softest and finest in England. sheep arrived in South Africa, destined fleece of wool’. for the Dutch King. During 1331 King Edward III The early years encouraged the settlement of Flemish It was two years before these sheep weavers in England. They and their left South Africa for Holland. By then, Many of Australia’s early settlers descendants went on to establish many of the offspring from these were keen to increase the size of their Britain’s reputation as a manufacturer original six Merinos were left behind. flocks. With few rams available, most settlers crossed Merinos with meat Bound for Australia breeds, which produced large cross- Fast facts bred animals with coarse wool. During 1797, Merinos were sent to Captain Macarthur concentrated on • The first Merino sheep arrived in Australia from Cape Town, South producing fine wool, by continuing to Australia during the late 1700s. Africa. These sheep were shared breed pure Spanish Merinos and he between early settlers, including is often recognised as starting the • By the mid 1800s wool had Captain John Macarthur and Reverend Australian wool industry. become Australia’s main export. Samuel Marsden. • There are more than 40,000 The Australian wool trade was modern wool-producing established in 1807, with the first bale businesses in Australia and more of Australian wool sent to Britain with Did you know? than 70 million sheep. the intention of commercial sale. • The first Merinos in Australia produced about 1.5 kilograms At William Thompson’s mill in • Modern woolgrowers are of wool per fleece but selective Yorkshire in 1808, Australian wool was highly-skilled managers who breeding has produced sheep that woven into a piece of cloth from which use the latest technology to run can grow a fleece of more than 8kg. their businesses. a black suit was tailored. The owner of the wool, Reverend Marsden, wore

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Europe

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Key:

Tenerife 1788 — sheep were brought to Australia with the First Fleet Africa 1797 — first wool-producing sheep were shipped to Australia from South Africa (Spanish Merino)

South South America Africa Rio de Janeiro Australia Cape Town Botany Bay, Sydney

Origins of wool: Merino sheep were first sent to Australia, via England and South Africa, in the late 1700s to provide a source of meat and wool for the early European settlers.

SECONDARY FACT SHEET - WOOL — A PROUD HERITAGE As sheep numbers grew, settlers moved as there were no fences to contain These days, large trucks transport inland from the coastal settlements to the stock. bales of wool to warehouses where it is find more land to graze their stock. auctioned (sold) to buyers from around Shearers removed the fleece using the world. The wool industry grew quickly, and by large hand shears, much like scissors. 1838 wool was Australia’s main export Today’s shearers use electric handpieces The modern wool industry commodity. that look similar to hair clippers. Today there are about 40,000 wool- The early wool industry was very Bullocks and carts transported producing businesses in Australia. different to the modern wool industry wool from the shearing sheds to Most wool producers have about 3,000 we see today. the wharves for shipment to Britain, sheep — but some larger properties where it was processed and made into In the early days, shepherds watched have more than 100,000 sheep. clothes and furnishings. sheep across large areas of land Sheep numbers change depending on the seasons and wool prices. When pasture is plentiful and prices are high there tends to be lots more sheep. When there is a drought or wool prices are low, producers often keep less sheep. Most of Australia’s wool businesses are owned by families. Many have been producing wool for generations. Australia’s woolgrowers are highly- skilled managers who look after their animals and the environment carefully to keep them healthy and productive.

Glossary Export commodity — a product, such as wool, wheat or coal, that is produced in Australia and sold Modern production: Australia’s modern wool industry is built on a tradition of family farms, where to overseas customers. familes have been producing wool for generations.

Fine Wool Pioneer

ELIZA FORLONGE (1784-1859) for Eliza to choose fine Merino sheep Eliza Forlonge of Scotland was another to bring back to Australia by ship. pioneer of Australia’s wool industry. Eliza’s fine-wool sheep were sought Early in the 1800s she introduced fine after by early Australian woolgrowers. Merino sheep and wool production The Forlonges set up several wool skills from Europe to Australia. properties and their sheep resulted in During 1827, Eliza and her two sons today’s superfine Saxon sheep. travelled to Saxony (Germany) where some of the best fine Merino sheep There is a memorial in the shape of a were. wool bale near Eliza’s grave at Euroa, Victoria and another in Campbell Town The Forlonges learnt about the wool Tasmania. industry and travelled long distances Woman of wool: Eliza Forlonge is one of Australia’s wool-producing pioneers.

More information For more information about the history of • Beyond the Bale: wool in Australia go to: beyondthebale.wool.com • learnaboutwool.com • woolmarklearningcentre.com

SECONDARY FACT SHEET - WOOL — A PROUD HERITAGE GD3270_F