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why kangaroo island wool? Kangaroo Island Wool’s wonderful, natural fibre is grown and harvested annually from hand selected, elite sheep well cared for by us, professional farmers and a veterinarian. We are all shareholders in the company, living and working on our properties on Kangaroo Island. The good health and welfare of our sheep is at the core of our management approach and it defines our commitment to the ethical production of wool and meat. Each of our farms has its own specific diagnostic and monitoring program to promote good health and animal husbandry for the life of our sheep. Kangaroo Island Wool farms are productive because of our deep understanding of the interplay between our sheep and their environment. Our wool is grown by merino and non-merino sheep that graze pastures in free-range conditions all year round, with additional supplementary feed being supplied as required at times of the year when pasture growth is low. We understand and respect Kangaroo Island’s unique natural environment and we work hard to maintain sustainable production systems in the long term.
corporate overview The shareholders of Kangaroo Island Wool: • are committed, professional wool producers • are dedicated to improving the amount, quality and value of the wool we produce • have a good understanding of our production systems and what they can produce • have a high standard of animal welfare in our professional production systems • manage the natural environment for a balance of sustainable agriculture and wildlife protection • are able to grasp and implement new concepts and adapt output to market requirements • produce a significant and increasing volume of wool of excellent quality in the sub-20 micron range • optimise the cost of production through best practice • have good systems in place that will ensure continuing improvement into the future. Our shareholders produce approximately 20% of the Island’s annual wool production. We also have access to wool produced by other Kangaroo Island wool producers that meet the animal welfare and environmental codes of practice developed by Kangaroo Island Wool.
our board of directors Strong relationships and a transparent supply chain are central to our philosophy. You can be sure that our sheep are as happy growing their wool here on Kangaroo Island year after year as your customers will be wearing it.
Nick Clark (Chairman) Greg Johnsson (Secretary and Public Officer) Christine Berry (Director) Keith Bolto (Director) Brett Gregor (Director)
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‘Our holistic, farmer-led approach to sustainable land management, innovative production systems and animal welfare enables us to produce some of the purest, finest wool in the world.’
On the cover: our Chairman, Nick Clark with one of his Merino rams Right: Director and woolgrower Christine Berry on her property, Deep Dene
Photograph from the South Australian Tourism Commission
Kangaroo Island offers residents and many visitors a unique blend of natural wildlife, rural experiences and spectacular coastline, all with the distinctive difference of a stunning island setting.
discover our island As well as being one of the country’s popular tourism destinations, Kangaroo Island is one of the most pristine environments in southern Australia and proud to be GM-free.
one of australia’s wild places Why do so many local, national and international visitors enjoy what Kangaroo Island has to offer every year? Opportunities to see Australian wildlife in natural habitats and walk through internationally recognized wilderness areas, the spectacular coastlines, untouched bush landscapes, the mystique of the Island’s isolation, it’s small population and heritage make Kangaroo Island a compelling travel destination. In total, almost half of Kangaroo Island is covered by native vegetation, with on-farm conservation areas being a major contributor to this. Around one quarter of the island is covered by governmentmanaged parks and reserves that teem with wildlife, including birds, reptiles, koalas, and the hopping marsupial that gives the island its name. The marine environment is also of special significance for its biodiversity conservation, aquaculture, fishing, and other recreational uses. We are also fortunate to be custodians of some of the least disturbed freshwater wetlands in Australia at the Island’s western end.
farming in tune with nature Understandably, the Island’s farmers have a strong focus on ecologically sustainable development. This approach involves the use, conservation, development and enhancement of natural resources in a way, and at a rate, that will enable people and communities to provide for their economic, social and physical well-being for current and future generations. Kangaroo Island is currently farmed by approximately 260 farmers, with 628 hectares being the average farm size. Major agricultural industries include wool, prime lamb, beef, mutton, broad acre cropping (canola, wheat, beans, barley, oats), commercial fishing, honey, winemaking, cheese, freerange chickens and eggs, horticulture, farm forestry and oil plantations, including eucalyptus, lavender and olives. Two-thirds of all farming properties are involved in wool production and 60% produce prime lambs, 46% of the properties are involved in some form of cropping, and 37% of the properties run beef cattle. Kangaroo Island wool growers produce about 8% of South Australia’s total wool production and 1% of Australia’s total wool production.
facts & figures Kangaroo Island is the third largest island off the Australian mainland, measuring 155 km long and up to 55 km in width. The island’s 4400 square kilometres, are bounded by 457km of coastline. Fewer than 4500 people live on an island that enjoys some 200,000 visitors every year. All of Kangaroo Islands agricultural products are GM-free. Agriculture accounts for over half of the Islands estimated $130 million in annual gross regional product.
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what we offer Our wool is grown by sheep that are bred, born, raised and cared for on Kangaroo Island. Every year, the sheep are shorn and their wool is carefully skirted, classed, baled and branded on properties owned and operated by Kangaroo Island Wool shareholders.
Some of these areas have been given Sanctuary status. Several of our shareholders have been recognised for their leadership in the management of native vegetation by Landcare Australia and other independent institutions and government organisations.
caring for our sheep High quality, natural wool fibre is the ideal product for Kangaroo Island because our refined production systems place minimal stress on the sheep, the growth and harvesting of wool does not require the transportation of any animals and the integrity of the raw product can be totally managed on farm.
All our shareholders abide by the National Code of Animal Welfare – Sheep. In addition to this, we have developed our own Code of Practice for Sheep Welfare that will ensure our flocks are cared for to a standard that exceeds Australia’s already high standards.
Our island has the highest sheep density per capita in Australia and as a region produces very high volumes of wool with a low environmental footprint.
products you’ll love
Many shareholders are using merino sires that are in the top 10% of the national flock and our merino wool is consistently finer than the national average. Our merino wool clip has superior visual quality and is of a high standard for processing.
caring for our land All shareholders are involved in the development and implementation of the Kangaroo Island Wool Code of Practice for Environmental Management. We are committed to maintaining the balance of farmed and wild environments and consider this a hallmark of our farming philosophy. All of our farmer shareholders have helped secure the future of our Island’s native vegetation through Heritage Agreements (property covenants that ensure Australian habitat is preserved forever) or national Landcare fencing agreements to exclude livestock from areas of on-farm remnant native vegetation.
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Australian Merino sheep are bred predominantly for their wool production. They are renowned for their soft, white, exceptionally fine wool. The ability to draw moisture away from the skin and keep people warm (even when wet) makes merino the natural fibre of choice for suits and a range of other luxury garments. Australian Merino is also ideally suited for premium sporting and outdoor wear. British Breed sheep refer to either pure lines of non-merino sheep breeds such as the Dorset or Border Leicester, or more commonly, the crosses of these European-derived breeds with Merinos. Although most British Breed sheep are bred for meat production, their wool is ideal for knitting yarns and commercial applications such as furnishings and industrial fabrics. The British Breed wool produced by our growers is of high quality.
We manage the total wool production cycle here on Kangaroo Island and have ultimate control of the quality and quantity of wool produced.
quality you can be assured of All Kangaroo Island Wool producers are shareholders of Australian Wool Innovation, the peak body overseeing wool production and promotion in Australia. All our wool is harvested and prepared according to the Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX) code of practice for the preparation of Australian wool clips.
The majority of the wool we supply for export meets European Union Ecolabel low residue or nil residue standards and certification testing to this standard with the Australian Wool Testing Authority (AWTA) can be arranged if required.
Chairman and fourthgeneration farmer, Nick Clark with wife Penny and children Dallas and Regan
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Shareholders
Property name
Grazing area (ha)
1. Phil & Barb Cooper
Parnlee
510
2. Des & Elaine Pratt
Dutton Park
1100
3. Rodney & Judie Bell
Bellevista
3280
4. Mike & Sandra Smith
Arana Park
800
5. Clark Partners
Muckra
950
6. John & Jo Symons
Turkey Lane
550
7. Barry, Simon & Eloise Wheaton
Redbanks
1100
8. Felicity Salkeld
Oratora
250
9. Lloyd & Christine Berry
Deep Dene
989
10. Mitch & Ros Willson
Willson River
1285
11. Chris Windham & Barbara Halfpenny
Riccorang
500
12. Geoff Nutt
Wedgwood
405
13. Brett Gregor
Willandra
783
14. Trevor & Lyn Bolto
Redlands
1500
15. Ian Larcombe
Kandravale
1500
16. Terry, Ros & Nathan Howard
Richmond Park
680
17. Bruce & Jennie Cleland
Willaroo
194
18. Tom & Liz Willson
New Country
387
19. Greg & Deb Johnsson
Kangaroo Island Veterinary Clinic
Kangaroo Island Wool Pty Ltd. PO Box 16, Kingscote, Kangaroo Island South Australia 5223 admin@kangarooislandwool.com www.kangarooislandwool.com Telephone +61 8 8553 2485
Photography by Luke Simon Photography Design, editing and management by EcocreativeÂŽ