The wool collection held by the Powerhouse Museum contains thousands of wool samples collected between 1804 and 2003. These samples provide a record of wool growing in Australia. The different fleeces reflect the breeding programs and environmental conditions under which the fleeces were grown and, as such, they provide a valuable history of the areas of Australia in which sheep were grazed.

Sheep were introduced into Australia in 1788 from Cape Town in South Africa. Since then sheep from other countries, including the Spanish Merino were imported into Australia and selectively crossbred. Careful crossbreeding, paying particular attention to the impact of the environment on both animal and fleece, led to the evolution of the Australian Merino. It is an excellent example of the engineering, through selective breeding, of a domestic animal. Wool went on to become the mainstay of the Australian Economy from 1807 to 1960.

This particular wool specimen has 'Canowie' blood in its genetic makeup. At Canowie the station manager started to selectively breed rams in the 1850's and later imported Negretti and Rambouillet rams into the flock. From 1855 to 1890 'Canowie' emerged as an influential Rambouillet-dominated flock and were taking big prizes and selling for record prices in both Melbourne and Sydney. 'Canowie' was one of the most influential studs in establishing the 'South Australian' type merino and evolving a large framed combing wool sheep.

Erika Dicker
Assistant Curator
September 2007

Reference:
Charles Massy. 'The Australian Merino', Penguin Books Australia Ltd, Victoria, 1990.

Source:

Powerhouse Museum