Wool: an introduction

Wool has been used for thousands of years because of its warmth and versatility. It has been used for floor coverings, shelter, clothing and many other purposes. The first sheep came to Australia with the First Fleet in 1788 with Governor Phillip. With their hairy fleeces and thick tails, these sheep were suitable for meat but not for wool production.

In the mid 1790s, John Macarthur began breeding sheep for wool. In 1797 he obtained some Merino sheep from Captain Waterhouse, four ewes and two rams that were descendents from the royal flock of the King of Spain. Merinos were bred in Spain for more than 2,000 years and are famous for their thick fleece and very fine wool. Macarthur not only bred Merino sheep but in 1807 established Australia's first commercially successful wool export business, actively promoting fine Australian Merino wool in Britain.

Exploration in the nineteenth century opened up new tracts of land as farmers and squatters moved inland, taking over sometimes huge areas of pasture. They discovered Australia's dry climate and poor soils were well suited for Merino sheep and high quality wool production. Wool became a very important agricultural industry and Australia was long said to have "ridden on the sheep's back" for its economic prosperity.

From the early days in the Australian wool industry, producers have been developing their sheep-growing and wool manufacturing techniques to create the finest Merino wool fibre possible. Today, Australia is the world leader in the production of wool, followed by China, Iran, New Zealand, Turkey and Russia.