Home
Search
thewest.com.au
CountrymanChevron Right Icon

Countryman Wool

Australian Wool Exchange chief executive Charlie McElhone.

FINANCIAL BONUSPremiumAWEX offers $5 rebate for ‘sustainable’ wool

Aussie farmers are being offered fresh financial incentives to certify their wool clips under sustainability programs, as AWEX launches a new rebate designed to lift participation in accredited schemes.

Cally Dupe

Shearer Carol Mudford has won the Rural Women's Award for her work on improving mental health. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)

LifestyleNurse turned shearer awarded for busting rural stigmas

When a shearer heard of several deaths across her industry, she knew she had to start making mental health a priority in the nation's wool sheds.

Stephanie Gardiner

WoolProducers Australia president Steve Harrison.

AWI ELECTIONS PremiumWoolProducers back Humphries, Swan and Uren for AWI board

A major industry group has endorsed two of the three board candidates recommended by Australian Wool Innovation, while calling for an urgent shift in the organisation’s culture and direction.

Cally Dupe

Wool.

WOOL MARKETPremiumWA bears the brunt of wool price dip as pass-in rates fall

Western Australia bore the brunt of a sharp downturn in the Australian wool market last week, with Fremantle posting the highest pass-in rate nationally at 32 per cent. 

Cally Dupe

WA-raised shearer Nikki Lyons during her successful world record attempt.

SHEARING RECORDPremiumEWE BEAUTY! WA-raised shearer Nikki Lyons sets world record

WA-raised female gun shearer Nikki Lyons has set new shearing world record while wearing her favourite fabric of all time — wool. 

Cally Dupe

Australian Wool Innovation chair Jock Laurie will step down in November after 10 years on the board.

AWI ELECTIONS PremiumAustralian Wool Innovation board elections heat up

The Australian Wool Innovation board has thrown its support behind three candidates recommended by the independent Board Nomination Committee, ahead of next month’s board elections.

Cally Dupe

Kojonup woolgrower Emily Stretch at the 2025 Perth Royal Show.

Woolly IdeaPremiumAussie wool growers explore wool supply chain in China

A study tour to China has left Kojonup wool grower Emily Stretch in awe of the enormous wool supply chain and inspired on smarter industry innovation.

Georgia Campion

Damien Boyle took out his 26th Perth Royal Show open shearing title battling it on the boards with Kyle Newby (2nd), Jack Fagan (3rd), Beau Guelfi (4th), Mark Buscumb (5th), and James Kilkpatrick (5th0>

Perth Royal ShowPremiumPerth Royal Show: Broomehill shearer Damein Boyle wins title

Broomehill shearer Damien Boyle took out his 26th Perth Royal open shearing title as he battled it out on the boards against a field of WA’s best on the WA Competitive Shearing Association’s circuit.

Bob Garnant

The Green Sheep Project will be led by Sheep Producers Australia in an effort to support the Australian sheep industry by providing knowledge and tools in order to respond to a changing climate future.

Sheep ClimatePremiumThree-year project for Aus sheep industry sustainability

A “unique” three-year national project to support Australian sheep producers for a changing climate future and the demand to meet green credential demand will begin next year

Georgia Campion

Australia’s sheep and wool industries are forming a united front for form their first strategy to guide the sectors through challenges for a profitable and resilient future.

Flock FuturePremiumFuture Flock strategy plan for sheep and wool sectors

Australia’s sheep and wool industries are forming a united front for form their first strategy for the two sectors to maintain profitability and resiliency as hurdles arise.

Georgia Campion

Dyson Jones Wool Marketing Services WA manager Peter Howie

WOOL PRICESPremiumWool prices surge to 2.5-year high as supply dwindles

WA farmers are netting wool prices nearly 20 per cent higher than this time last year, as the Western Market Indicator surges to 1480c/kg — its highest level in 2.5 years. 

Cally Dupe

Australian Wool Exchange chief executive Charlie McElhone said the milestone was a clear indication of how far the platform had come since it was launched.

industry successPremiumWoolClip hits one million bales milestone

The Australian wool industry is celebrating a milestone: one million bales now processed through WoolClip

Melissa Pedelty

Kelsey Pool on-farm with trial sheep for her targeted fleece removal research.

alternative optionsPremiumHeavily reliance on shearers set to be a thing of the past

WA-based researcher Kelsey Pool is taking the decades old concept of biological defleecing and putting a modern medical spin on it in a bid to provide producers with alternative options for fleece removal.

Melissa Pedelty

Biological wool harvesting research is in full swing and becoming increasingly more viable.

alternative optionsPremiumBiological wool harvesting still on the agenda

Biological wool harvesting continues to be supported by industry as an alternative wool harvesting solution, with several studies in full-swing and becoming increasingly viable

Melissa Pedelty

The 2025 Perth Royal Show Wool Fashion Parade will feature Melbourne-based fashion brand, FOOL Clothing, (pictured) as well as Perth-based fashion brand, Swoolly by Scanlan.

2025 Perth Royal ShowPremiumAustralian Wool takes centre stage at the Perth Royal Show

Australian wool is set to take centre stage at the 2025 Perth Royal Show with garments created by talented designers on full display in a bid to dazzle crowds.

Melissa Pedelty

Swooly by Scanlan: Swoolly operations manager Louise Scanlan, Scanlan director Emily Linke and designer Sophie Brown.

2025 Perth Royal ShowPremiumSwoolly by Scanlan to feature at 2025 Perth Royal Show

Scanlan director Emily Linke says it is a “no brainer” for the company’s Perth-based fashion brand to participate in the 2025 Perth Royal Show Wool Fashion Parade for the second consecutive year

Melissa Pedelty

Australian Wool Innovation national extension manager Emily King said more than 220 young people completed the AWI Breeding Leadership program since it began in 2006.

career progressionPremiumWool industry youth encouraged to apply for AWI program

Australian Wool Innovation is inviting submissions for its breeding leadership program, designed to develop leadership and professional skills for young people working in all facets of the wool industry

Melissa Pedelty

Justin Haydock, the National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia national wool broker of the year, with NCWSBA vice-president Alistair Calvert.

national recognitionPremiumWA’s Justin Haydock named top national wool broker

Dumbleyung’s Justin Haydock joins a list of names of industry stalwarts who exemplify the best of the best within the wool broking profession after he was recognised as the NCWSBA’s wool broker of the year.

Melissa Pedelty

Australian Wool Testing Hub program manager John Billing said WA declarations lagged behind other states however, he was confident they would fall in line come the January 1 deadline.

deadline loomsPremiumDeadline looms for brokers to supply PIC for wool testing

WA is lagging behind the rest of the country when it comes to providing a Property Identification Code to AWTA for wool testing, meanwhile the three and a half month mandatory testing deadline is looming.

Melissa Pedelty

Wool Industries Australia chair David Michell said the organisation, and its members, backed the Australian Wool Sustainability Scheme as its preferred wool certification scheme.

certification frameworkPremiumAWSS preferred by several Australian wool industry bodies

Wool Industries Australia has thrown its weight behind the Australian Wool Sustainability Scheme, recognising it as the preferred certification framework for wool over more dominant schemes on the market.

Melissa Pedelty

Biennial opportunity to join wool industry stalwarts Steve Harrison, Jo Hall and Adam Dawes in driving national and international policy development and advocacy on WoolProducers Australia's National Executive has been announced.

biennial electionPremiumDirector positions up for grabs on WoolProducers’ executive

WoolProducers Australia has put the call out to fill three independent director positions with passionate and experienced woolgrowers from across Australia as part of its biennial elections.

Melissa Pedelty

National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia president Rowan Woods, WoolProducers Australia chief executive Jo Hall and Australian Council of Wool Exporters and Processors president Josh Lamb call for united industry strategy on mulesing.

global reputationPremiumLeading industry bodies call for united stance on mulesing

Three leading wool industry bodies take a stab at the Australian Wool Innovation chairman on his “short-sighted” view on mulesing, warning his stance could have dire risks for the future of the industry.

Melissa Pedelty

Yuna fashion designer and farmer Bridgitte Brooks is aspiring to elevate wool in the fashion industry using her AgriEmpower Scholarship funds.

wool in spotlightPremiumBringo’s Bridgitte Brooks receives AgriEmpower Scholarship

Yuna fashion designer and farmer Bridgitte Brooks is aspiring to elevate wool in the fashion industry after being nominated as one of the recipients of the AgriEmpower Scholarship.

Melissa Pedelty

Tight supply due to wet conditions and flock tightening are boosting the wool market which posted its sixth consecutive weekly rise last week to continue the strong start to the 2025-26 season.

thriving marketPremiumWool experts expect WA market to remain strong

Tight supply due to wet conditions is boosting the wool market which posted its sixth consecutive weekly rise last week to continue the strong start to the 2025-26 season.

Melissa Pedelty