Line-up of Stud Merino Rams from Wanganella Station

This image from our collection shows two sepia photographs framed together of stud rams from the famous Wanganella Station near Deniliquin in New South Wales.

Wanganella was one of the most influential sheep stations in the evolution of the merino sheep in Australia. In 1858 George Hall Peppin and Sons purchased Wanganella. Initially they had little success and in 1861 they put the station up for sale, but were unable to find a buyer. In the following years with the help of the famous wool classer Thomas Shaw, the Peppins set about evolving a merino stud. They decided to let the environment have a major say and breed sheep to suit the country. This was a major turning point in the history of the Australian merino.

The Peppin Merino has a large frame and long legs, which make it perfectly adapted to dry inland regions of Australia. The merinos introduced into Australia, soon after settlement, were only able to produce one to two kilograms of wool each year. A Peppin Merino stud ram of today may produce up to 20 kilograms of wool. Wanganella was one of the most prolific merino breeding properties in the 1800s and today over 70% of merinos in Australia are descended from their breeding stock.

The museum holds an important collection of wool samples including the Bill Montgomery Vintage Wool Collection which includes samples from stud rams at Wanganella station in the 1890s.

Post by Lynne McNairn

Photography, Hall & Co, Sydney, Australia, 1918-1920. (96/181/39)
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Tags: agriculture, farming history, farms, merinos, sepia print, sheep, sheep breeding, stud merino, Wanganella Station, wool