The Muller family donated a special bale of wool in memory of their matriarch Helen Muller, who passed away suddenly 20 months ago.
Andrew Muller, Nalandra at Molyullah, said it the bale of Merino crutching was the last bale his mother had sorted before she died.
“She was always in the shed,” his sister Jenny said.
She (Helen) loved the Daniher brothers’ quintessential country, competitive larrikinism qualities and was deeply moved by Neale’s condition.
- Andrew Muller, Nalandra at Molyullah
“She was the cook and the rousie. Her eagle eye and swift hands ensure this bale of crutching is stain free,” Andrew said, adding the bale was completed by family and friends. He said he had found it hard to sell the bale, but the family came up with a great solution that would honour their mother and grandmother.
They decided to donate its proceeds to the Fight MND, with whom ALF legend and motor neuron disease (MND) battler Neale Daniher is associated.
“She (Helen) loved the Daniher brothers’ quintessential country, competitive larrikinism qualities and was deeply moved by Neale’s condition. Helen lived life with compassion for her family, the farm and the community she lived in,” Andrew said, adding that was demonstrated when more than 500 people attended her funeral. Their other sister Anita and Helen’s grandchildren, who all helped in the shearing shed too, came to watch the bale be sold before today’s main auction at Melbourne wool selling centre.
Ruralco wool auctioneer Rob Ellis called the sale, which quickly jumped well above market rates.
The bale was knocked down to Paul Harmer, Yarra Wool, who paid 1360c/kg greasy (or 2162c/kg clean) for the 174kg bale.
He said his was driven to support the cause because his father Robert Harmer died in 2006, after being diagnosed with MND in 1997.
They were supported at the selling centre by John Mahoney, formerly of M & M Wools, who with former colleague Paul Miall and Ken Stock of Stock Wool, is taking part in the Daniher’s Driver 2017. In October, the three wool men, who have a combined 150 years’ experience in the industry, will be among 375 fundraisers who will throughout Victoria.