Darkan nurse Jodie King breathes life into her passion for wool in new role with Australian Wool Innovation

Darkan’s Jodie King will swap medicine for Merinos after taking on a new role as Australian Wool Innovation’s new WA-based industry relations officer, replacing Tori Kirk who is stepping down after 18 months in the role. Ms King, a 23 year veteran in the health care industry, said she was excited to take on the position — which provides a boots-on-the-ground bridge between WA woolgrowers and the nation’s biggest wool marketing and research body. She will start the role on September 11, after Ms Kirk finished up on August 18. Based in Darkan, Ms King has spent 23 years working as a nurse — 20 of those in Narrogin — but has always had an interest in sheep after growing up on a sheep stud at Crookwell, in New South Wales. She and her husband Nathan King, who is an Elders stud stock agent, live at on a small sheep farm property at Darkan, building up numbers for a Poll Merino stud for their daughters Darcy and Matilda. “I am passionate about nursing, but it’s time for a change to live out my first love for sheep and wool,” Ms King said. “I look forward to visiting woolgrowers and let them guide me on their needs.” Ms King grew up in Crookwell where she developed a passion for the wool industry through her father, John Bensley. Mr Bensley worked with the Koonawarra Merino stud for many years before running his own Poll Merino stud named Stillbrook. She has fond memories of being raised on the farm and taking Merinos to the Easter Royal Show in Sydney. Ms King studied nursing at Charles Stuart University in Bathurst from 1998 and later continued training at Cootamundra before working at the Crookwell Hospital. Along the way, she met Nathan who travelled throughout Australia’s sheep districts representing Elders clients. Nathan’s father John King of Darkan-based Rangeview stud had connections with Jodie’s family after buying genetics from Koonawarra stud in the 1970s. In 2003, the couple made plans to live in WA together and a 17-year marriage has given them a life of mutual respect for both their passions in wool and health care. The King’s two teenage daughters are students at the WA College of Agriculture — Denmark. Ms Kirk finished up in her role with AWI on August 18 to take on took on a new position as CSBP’s Bunbury accounts manager. AWI chair Jock Laurie said Ms Kirk made a great contribution as AWI’s industry relations officer in WA. “The team at AWI wishes her well in the next stage of her career,” he said. “At the same time we look forward to the contribution Jodie King will make in this key role.” Ms King plans to travel to the AWI head office for some initial training, but is well-acquainted with the Merino industry as the Darkan Sheepfest chair and through helping organisers with the Rabobank WA Sheep Expo and Sale at Katanning. Ms King said wool had a bright future with China’s strong investment in the country’s woollen mills. “I believe it is important to educate the younger generation in the wonderful fibre of wool,” she