Meet the flock at Woomargama Station.
These women take wool to market, finding the right place and purpose for it beyond the shed.
TAMARA PABST, Wool Technical Officer, AWN.
By the time the first bales are pressed at Woomargama Station, Tamara Pabst has already walked the shed and checked in with the classer. As a broker with AWN, her role spans the lifecycle of the clip—from shed floor to sale room where she auctions it off to exporters.
She’s one of the few people who follows Australian wool on this journey which gives her rare perspective: to see how wool is prepared on farm then how it is ultimately valued by the market.
Increasingly, that value is tied to more than fibre alone. “I have a lot to do with certification—sustainability is becoming a really big thing for consumers,” she says. “So I’m spending a lot of time on farm, getting that auditing process happening and helping farmers.”
Tamara doesn’t come from the land, but always knew it was where she wanted to end up. “I grew up in the suburbs of Melbourne but spent a lot of time with my grandparents on their farm. I loved sheep from the get-go!,” she laughs.” She studied a Bachelor of Agriculture at Melbourne University with the intention of becoming a vet, before realising the wool industry offered her a pathway she hadn’t considered. Her early career was spent on a merino stud, learning genetics and flock management alongside commercial production.
When it comes to Australian wool on the world stage, Tamara’s view is clear. “Every farmer has a unique story,” she says. “As most of our wool is exported overseas, it’s so important that Australian wool isn’t just known for it’s quality, but the story behind the people who produce it.”
MILLIE AUSTIN, Sheep and Wool Specialist, AWN.
Millie Austin’s earliest memories of wool are tied to family and routine. “Growing up with Mum and Dad on our farm in south-west Victoria, I’ve been working in the woolshed for as long as I could hold a broom,” she says. “We’ve always been a family operation: Dad was shearing, Mum was classing and I’ve got younger siblings, so we were always fighting over who got to throw the first fleece.”
Despite that grounding, she never expected wool to become a career. After finishing school, she stepped away from the familiar, governessing for a family near Broken Hill. “Spending a year on a remote station made me realise that working in the ag industry was where I really wanted to be,” she says. An introduction to AWN followed. “I met the team, the auctioneers and thought, ‘This is awesome’.”
Now, as a Sheep and Wool Specialist, her role goes beyond shearing support. “I’m in the sheds, working with growers and classers, making sure the wool is the best quality all year round.” She’s involved across the full cycle, from preparation to testing and sale.
Her enthusiasm for the fibre itself is unequivocal. “Why wouldn’t you love wool? It’s the best product out there.” What keeps her in the industry, though, is the people. “It’s the storytelling behind the farm that I love, the generational growth, the kids being brought up there—it’s such a nice environment to be in.” To young people considering the industry, her advice is simple: “Do it, just join up.”
EMMA SUBTIL, Adoption and Extension Manager, ZQ Certified Wool.
At Woomargama Station, New Zealand-born Emma Subtil assesses the wool with a clear sense of where it will end up. As Adoption and Extension Manager for ZQ, she connects what happens in the shed with the expectations of brands further down the supply chain.
“It’s beautiful wool that’s typically 17 to 19 micron and that means it’s really good for some of our ZQ partners,” she says. “Merino wool is excellent next to skin as it breathes really well.” And that versatility underpins its appeal across a wide range of garments.
When evaluating a clip, Emma starts with the fundamentals. “I look for the right length so it processes easily and spins into a consistent yarn. Then I consider the micron, colour and strength which is important because we want bright fleeces that dye well, and fibres that hold together through processing.”
She’s quick to challenge the idea that wool is scratchy. “Wearing heavy homespun jumpers that Granny knitted unfortunately gives wool a bad rap. Modern merino is far more adaptable, and you can wear it comfortably head-to-toe. I’m even wearing merino undies,” she smiles.
Emma says the qualities of ZQ certified merino, and the standards that sit behind the fleece, reflect a broader shift in the wool and textile industry. “As an industry we need to demonstrate that we’re caring for the land and trying to leave it in a better state for future generations. We’re managing changing climates and livestock, while also doing the very best we can to protect and enhance the environment.”
At Woomargama, she sees those principles in practice. “Clare is a leading grower and completely embraces and embodies our ZQ standards that are based on best-practice animal welfare, exceptional environmental sustainability measures, and she cares for people in her team.”
ABBY BLUNDY, Project Manager, ZQ Certified Wool.
For Abby Blundy, a Project Manager for ZQ, the work is about connecting farms to global brands and fostering those relationships.
Abby brings brands onto farms to see the care, process and dedication that sits behind the ZQ standard. “It helps them understand the story of where their wool comes from,” she says, “and meet the people on farm that make this beautiful product possible.”
Abby says growers also benefit from the on-farm visits by brands. “Our growers are foundational to the work we do to provide ethical and sustainable wool to the textile and fashion industry,” she says. “Their wool is the very beginning of a deeply connected supply chain.”
When brands stand in the shed and watch the work firsthand, the supply chain becomes tangible. In turn, growers see the outcome of their work. “That full circle is very important,” Abby says, “and we’re fortunate to be able to create that beautiful connection.”
Abby is from an organic sheep property in South Gippsland with a strong focus on care for animals and the land. She says her work with ZQ is closely tied to her own values
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