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.

The wool was produced in 1898 by Samuel McCaughey in Coonong, Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia.

Romney Marsh Stud Ram, Sire 'Manuel'.

Donated by T H Mate & Company, Brea Springs, 1898

Wool specimen, stud ram 'Magic', bred by Samuel McCaughey, Coonong, Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia, 1898.

Wool specimen from pure Vermont sheep 'Magic'. There is a label with the specimen.

This sample of wool was tested in June 2007 by the Interactive Wool Group. They used the OFDA2000 instrument for fleece testing. The following are the results for this specimen:

Microns: 24.6 microns (5.8 Standard Deviation)
(average fibre diameter)

Staple length: 60 mm

Mean fibre curvature: 88.9 Dg/mm
(A measurement in degrees
per mm related to
crimp frequency)

Comfort Factor: 84.5 %
(The % of fibres equal
to or less than 30 microns)

Made: McCaughey, Samuel; Narrandera, New South Wales; 1898

Text on label reads '1897 / 'Magic' / PURE VERMONT / Bred by S M McCaughey / "Coonong" / Narrandera NSW'.

F5794

1898

115 mm

40 mm