From Humble Beginnings to Heartfelt Community Impact: The Woolshed's Story
What inspired The Woolshed Australia?
Of May 1968, I was born in Queensland and my father was a station manager in the Gulf of Carpentaria. My mum’s doctor was a part of the Royal Flying Doctors Service. I spent the latter half of my childhood and youth on a farm in NSW, where we had horses, cattle and sheep.
Since 2004 I have more or less been a single mum and I’ve always had to work hard to get where I wanted to be. The symbol of the Woolshed is emblematic of hard work & of an industry that’s sustained Australia’s economy for many years, it also honours my family history.
I had a small farm in the Central West of NSW which I bought in 2017. I converted a disused horse stable into an Airbnb which turned out to be quite successful.
One thing about the Central West is it's bloody cold and bloody hot… It's the heart of merino country and some of Australia's finest wool is grown there... It was more than a little ironic that I couldn't find any decent knitwear to keep my family, and I warm during winter.
I had retail experience, and I was good with people so with $5000, I opened the first Woolshed Australia… In the little town of Molong on the Mitchell Highway between Orange and Dubbo. It was April 2018, I was well received and stocked some Australian, and New Zealand made brands, and also some Irish heritage tweed. We stocked garments and accessories made of merino, possum and alpaca…Gorgeous things, and beautiful memories of that time.
A personal tragedy I could have never imagined
Come October 2018, I was participating in the biggest and oldest field day in Australia held in the Cabonne Shire. On the second day of the event, I received the devastating news that my eldest daughter had succumbed to depression and taken her life…I was a single mother of five beautiful children, and this was a tragedy for me and us as a family. Throughout this time, I struggled with how to move forward, how to grieve and how to support my children… I had thoughts of giving up, running away to some far flung place or just dropping out.. I felt so helpless, so sad.
In the wake of it all, it was the mother in me that galvanised me to carry on. I feel like I'm all they (my children) have, and so I gave myself the pep talk I needed, which sounded something like: I have to make the right choices, I have to continue, I have to be strong, I have to succeed. I must not give up, my children deserve the best me. So I went back to work and with the support of the lovely community of Molong, The Woolshed Australia stayed open.
The move to Kyneton and Piper Street
It was in August 2020, the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, that I relocated to Kyneton. I had been through the town on various family road trips & always had admired the Gold Rush era streets & buildings, plus its artisanal spirit. It was by chance that a shop was up for rent on Piper St - with the support of my family and friends, as well as the INCREDIBLE generosity & kindness of community members, I decided to go for it.
I can't read A Sunburnt Country by Dorothea Mackellar without becoming emotional…I simply love Australia for all her beauty and her terror. We are a nation of genuine lovers of country, at least that's how I feel. What breathtaking skies, desserts, beaches, forests and big land we have… My early years on the cattle station playing with indigenous kids and eating our mud creations must have grown the love of country in my belly.
In my store are hanging some exquisite landscapes by one of Australia's great artists, Miodrag Jankovic. These works take my breath away with the majesty of the sea, the sky, and the earth.
Our team
I'm an absolute Luddite with technology, but I'm a good delegator and I enjoy building relationships with suppliers. So, with the help of my two beautiful daughters, I manage to keep a diary and appointments. I wouldn’t get by without the beautiful Laura Adams who has been with me for 3 years now. Her dedication to the business, its goals and our customers has been nothing short of amazing. She is just the most delightful human being.
Our philosophy
We love to support Australian made products wherever possible. As a lot of the Australian manufacturing industry has collapsed in recent years, it is more expensive, but it’s worthwhile knowing that the wool in these garments supports local farmers, wool brokers, mills, manufacturers and designers. That being said, there’s a reason Australian grown wool is in demand across the world.
Educating the consumer is part of my job. My philosophy is not to just ‘sell things’, I educate people about quality and provenance. For example, I give people the story of the designer, the sheep station where the wool was sourced, the manufacturing process, along with the properties of the particular yarn.
We stock some beautiful imported items and guess what? They are made with Australian superfine merino wool. I like that the Italians, who are passionate about quality textiles, buy Australian superfine merino. It’s of the highest calibre you can get! Stocking natural fibres has always been my priority and my focus. They have longevity, they regulate body temperature, they feel fantastic, they exude quality and are biodegradable.
The vast majority of my suppliers work on an indent basis, which means that they are only producing enough stock to fulfil their orders. I’m not a fan of gratuitous overproduction, multiple selling seasons per year, nor new stock arriving every month.
Collective attitudes towards fashion and trend cycles have been warped by fast fashion - so I work with designers & makers who revolt against the message that we must constantly have MORE! and NEW!
The buying process
When I connect with a maker who is in integrity with the manufacturing process and commitment to quality over quantity, I know that this brand will be received well, as values are shared; from maker to consumer. I stock Untouched World, a New Zealand brand which is the only textile company to be honoured with an award from the United Nations for Sustainability. This brand is an example to all knitwear companies, they are currently top-ten in the world for sustainable practices. They have been pioneers in the ethical fashion production space.
Another smaller maker, Georgie A, works from her home studio in Noosa with the most exquisite hand-loomed Italian linen. She journeys personally to Positano once a year to source fabrics and then they are shipped back to Queensland.
Anna Woodruff, of Francie, is a young Melbourne designer who we also love to support. Anna’s commitment to sustainable production in Aus and NZ is evident across her considered collections. Often, styles are repeated from season to season, as she has managed to merge natural fibres with timeless silhouettes that people keep coming back for.
When you find a garment you love, you want to share it and want to keep it forever. Beautiful, quality items last because they are like treasures. I think about what I would like to happen upon myself, when shopping for my customer base. I have been so poor, and so everything I buy has to last, stand the test of time and transcend fashion trends.
Our town
I like to think that there’s a real harmony & camaraderie between business owners and community members here. We not only share knowledge, but we are willing to physically lend each other a hand where we can. I cannot downplay how helpful and friendly the people of Kyneton and surroundings have been. There’s a real sense of reciprocity.
Annually, we donate approximately between $15-20K in value to the local Kyneton community. I’m currently working on raising awareness for the Kyneton Kindness Collective, which provides lunch daily and food for people in dire need. And trying to spread the word on how people can give $20 a month to help the less fortunate.
I’ve had many memorable experiences whilst being in my store, but by far the most memorable times are the look on peoples’ faces when I give them something – a gift, for nothing. Or a piece of advice, like which coffee shops are open on a Tuesday! Or how far Hanging Rock (Ngannelong) is from Kyneton. I love the micro interactions daily, especially with those generous-of-heart people who share something of themselves with me.
I often say that someone must be listening to my prayers, because each time I’ve struggled with a hurdle, or I’ve wanted to take the next step in my business and felt like I haven’t had the time or the know-how, a person with said know-how has turned the doorknob of my shop. I feel so lucky to have received the help that’s come my way.
The goal is to keep offering kind and helpful service to our customers, offering a high-quality product and giving back to the community as much as possible. We are finding our way into manufacturing but it’s a slow process, and we want to do it right the first time.