Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and other animals, including cashmere and mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, from hide and fur clothing from bison, angora from rabbits, and other types of wool from camelids; additionally, the Highland and the Mangalica breeds of cattle and swine, respectively, possess woolly coats.
The Merino is one of the most historically relevant and economically influential breeds of sheep, much prized for its wool. The breed was originated and improved in Extremadura, in southwestern Spain, around the 12th century; it was instrumental in the economic development of 15th and 16th century Spain, which held a monopoly on its trade, and since the end of the 18th century it was further refined in New Zealand and Australia, giving rise to the modern Merino.
Australia is a major agricultural producer and exporter, with over 325,300 employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing as of February 2015. Agriculture and its closely related sectors earn $155 billion-a-year for a 12% share of GDP. Farmers and graziers own 135,997 farms, covering 61% of Australia's landmass. Approximately 64% of all farms across Australia belong to the state, with a further 23% that are still owned by indigenous groups or tribes. Across the country there is a mix of irrigation and dry-land farming. Australia leads the world with 35 million hectares certified organic, which is 8.8% of Australia's agricultural land and Australia now accounts for more than half (51%) of the world's certified organic agriculture hectares. The CSIRO, the federal government agency for scientific research in Australia, has forecast that climate change will cause decreased precipitation over much of Australia and that this will exacerbate existing challenges to water availability and quality for agriculture.
The economic history of Australia traces the economic history of Australia since European settlement in 1788.
A sheep station is a large property in Australia or New Zealand whose main activity is the raising of sheep for their wool and meat. In Australia, sheep stations are usually in the south-east or south-west of the country. In New Zealand the Merinos are usually in the high country of the South Island. These properties may be thousands of square kilometres in size and run low stocking rates to be able to sustainably provide enough feed and water for the stock.
In Australia, a cattle station is a large farm, the main activity of which is the rearing of cattle. The owner of a cattle station is called a grazier. The largest cattle station in the world is Anna Creek Station in South Australia, which covers an area of 23,677 square kilometres.
Pastoral farming is aimed at producing livestock, rather than growing crops. Examples include dairy farming, raising beef cattle, and raising sheep for wool. In contrast, arable farming concentrates on crops rather than livestock. Finally, Mixed farming incorporates livestock and crops on a single farm. Some mixed farmers grow crops purely as fodder for their livestock; some crop farmers grow fodder and sell and in some cases pastoralists. Pastoral farming is a non-nomadic form of pastoralism in which the livestock farmer has some form of ownership of the land used, giving the farmer more economic incentive to improve the land. Unlike other pastoral systems, pastoral farmers are sedentary and do not change locations in search for fresh resources. Rather, pastoral farmers adjust their pastures to fit the needs of their animals. Improvements include drainage, stock tanks, irrigation and sowing clover.
Monckton Synnot (1827-1879) was a prominent squatter in Victoria, Australia, the sixth son of Captain Walter Synnot and his second wife Elizabeth, née Houston, and the grandson of Sir Walter Synnot, of Ballymoyer, County Armagh.
John Lang Currie, Australian pastoralist, was born in Selkirkshire, Scotland, and migrated to the Port Phillip district (later Victoria in 1841. By borrowing money from his family he was able to buy the 129.50 km² Larra run near Camperdown in the Western District, and 1500 sheep, for 750 pounds. In 1844 he began his stud with Saxon merinos from Van Diemen's Land, then bought sheep from John Macarthur's flock at Camden, New South Wales. After a difficulty start he prospered as a sheep breeder and wool-grower.
Squatting in Australian history referred to someone who occupied a large tract of crown land in order to graze livestock. Initially often having no legal rights to the land, they gained its usage by being the first settlers in the area. Eventually, the term squattocracy, a play on "aristocracy", developed to refer to some of these squatters.
Selection referred to "free selection before survey" of crown land in some Australian colonies under land legislation introduced in the 1860s. These acts were intended to encourage closer settlement, based on intensive agriculture, such as wheat-growing, rather than extensive agriculture, such as wool production. Selectors often came into conflict with squatters, who already occupied the land and often managed to circumvent the law.
The Ross River Meatworks Chimney is a heritage-listed abattoir at Stuart Drive, Idalia, City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It is the 11th tallest structure in Townsville. It was built as part of the Ross River Meatworks in 1891 William McCallum Park and is now a major landmark as part of Fairfield Waters and part of Lancinis Springbank urban village. It was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 14 August 2009.
Charles Hotson Ebden was an Australian pastoralist and politician, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, the Victorian Legislative Council and the Victorian Legislative Assembly.
Frederick Gonnerman Dalgety was a merchant and financier, the founder of Dalgety plc, one of the United Kingdom's largest conglomerates. He was born in Canada to Alexander Dalgety, army officer, and his wife Elizabeth, née Doidge.
Shearing the Rams is an 1890 painting by Australian artist Tom Roberts. It depicts sheep shearers plying their trade in a timber shearing shed. Distinctly Australian in character, the painting is a celebration of pastoral life and work, especially "strong, masculine labour", and recognises the role that the wool industry played in the development of the country.
De Grey Station is a pastoral lease formerly a sheep station and now a cattle station approximately 80 kilometres (50 mi) east of Port Hedland on the mouth of the De Grey River in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia.
Glenorn is a pastoral lease that has operated as both a sheep and cattle station. It is located about 40 kilometres (25 mi) south east of Leonora and 33 kilometres (21 mi) north east of Kookynie in the Goldfields of Western Australia,
Thomas Fulton (1813-1859) was an iron foundry owner in Melbourne, Australia. He established one of the earliest foundries and engineering works in Melbourne in 1842 with Robert Langlands and laid the basis for the metal industry in the colony of Victoria.
Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company 2-2-2WT (1854) was the first locomotive operated on a railway line in Australia. The Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company completed the first steam-hauled railway line to operate in Australia, a 4.5-kilometre (2.8 mi) line between Flinders Street Melbourne and Sandridge beach on 12 September 1854. The delay in obtaining locomotives from Robert Stephenson and Company meant that the railway was without a locomotive, so that the company engaged Melbourne foundry company Robertson, Martin & Smith to construct a 2-2-2 tender locomotive. The firm had previously constructed a small donkey engine for hauling supplies along the line during construction.
Meatworks and Wharf Site is a heritage-listed former abattoir and wharf at Settlement Road, St Lawrence, Isaac Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1870s to 1890s. It is also known as Broadsound Meat Company, Broadsound Packing Co Ltd, and Newport Meatworks Company. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 23 February 2001.
