A Elphinstone family has been recognised with a prestigious wool award during a presentation in Melbourne.
The Barber family of Coliban Park, south of Bendigo, was crowned the Vitale Barberis Canonico Wool Excellence Award winners during an event on Sunday night.
For four generations the Barber family have been the "devoted custodians" of Coliban Park, where they run more than 27,000 Saxon sheep with bloodlines linking directly back to John Aitken and Eliza Furlong's flocks.
"This is our passion, growing Saxon wool, as it was my father's and his father before him," Coliban Park owner Duncan Barber said.
"This is an amazing way to have that passion and dedication recognised."
The presentation was held at Melbourne's iconic The Prince Deck and was attended by Vitale Barberis Canonico representatives, Wool Excellence Club members from NSW, Victoria and Tasmania and industry representatives.
Mr Barber and his wife, Jess Barber, run the property with the help of their four grandchildren Jack, 16, Rosie, 15, Maggie, 9, and Polly, 6.
The property was acquired by Anthony Barber in 1917 which had a well-established Saxon flock which he continued to manage.
With granitic soils and scattered red gums on undulating hills, Coliban Park provides excellent breeding country for Saxon Merinos.
"The sheep have been here since long before we arrived at Coliban Park. We are only custodians of their property," Mr Barber said following the presentation.
Better results and improved wool
Vitale Barberis Canonico's Alberto Barberis Canonico and Davide Fontaneto presented the family with the award, which included a cash prize to the value of $50,000 along with an all-expenses paid trip to the Biella region of Italy.
The trip will provide an opportunity for the winners to see firsthand the transformation of their fibre to luxurious fabrics, state-of-the-art technology and meet with Vitale Barberis Canonico representatives.
"The clip is among the biggest in terms of quantity and displays those characteristics typical of real Saxon wool; high and frequent crimp, full bodied, elastic, reactive, and resistant when squeezed," Mr Fontaneto said.
"It is what we're expecting from a Wool Excellence Club saxon clip, with thick staple and in a certain way noisy, because when held to the ear while unravelling the wool staple, the sound mimics that of shoes walking over fresh snow. It is well classed and with perfect length."
The Barber family has been enthusiastic about their membership in the WEC since their inclusion.
"They managed to improve the production of their of wool, working hard on breeding and endeavouring to get their wool even closer to the high VBC Saxon standards," Mr Fontaneto said.
"Not only in terms of quality but also in quantity; they recently purchased a new property (Spring Hill/Z) and seriously took into account the strong animal welfare message coming from the market by pursuing non-mulesed status on this new property, which is really important today."
To be eligible growers must be members of the VBC Wool Excellence Club.
Members are specially selected by VBC using strict criteria and must demonstrate sustainable wool production and notably the attributes of superfine Saxon Merino woo.
For 355 years,the wool mill of VBC has been creating prestigious textiles for the clothing industry in the historic factory in Pratrivero, Piedmont, Italy.
