Metcalfe fine wool producers Duncan and Jess Barber are among wool producers who have ridden the coronavirus rollercoaster in the last 12 months.
But Duncan Barber says they've been looked after by Italian manufacturer Vitale Barberis Canonico.
Four generations of the Barber family have been what Duncan says are "devoted custodians" of Coliban Park, Metcalfe, just north of Kyneton, where they run Saxon sheep.
The flock's bloodlines can be traced directly back to John Aitken and Eliza Furlong, who brought the Saxon breed to Tasmania, in the 1800's.
"It's been a fantastic year, season wise it's been great - it started off very slow but finished with a bang," Mr Barber said.
"It was cold, wet winter, with not much growth - we had lots of rain, but it didn't get really flooded.
"Spring finished fantastically into summer, it's just starting to dry off now."
It was one upside to another difficult year, face by many woolgrowers.
Mr Barber said he had never seen clover 'like it'.
"This year has been incredible, the sheep have done exceptionally well and, coming into summer, they look fantastic."
"We should have a good join up, with protein levels being really good."
The Barbers won the coveted Vitale Barberis Canonico (VBC) Wool Excellence Award in October 2019, but haven't yet been able to go to Italy to take up the prize.
Read more: Wool excellence gong for Barber family
The trip provides 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 Barbers were part of a wool market that fared well, despite the continued coronavirus pandemic.
They average 16.5-17 micron wool, with about 80 per cent going to VBC.
Elders said superfine Merino wool "found a real purpose in life", and the 17-micron indicator closed up more than $5/kg for the year.
The average Merino micron for the Australian clip - 19.5-micron - gained almost $2/kg, and the broader Merino of 21-micron added $1.30/kg.
For crossbred wools, Eastern states lamb prices are up by nearly $1/kg from January to now.
So, the year has been a positive one, in which the path to recovery has been well and truly established.
"It's ridden a rollercoaster, that's for sure, it's been up and down a lot, we are very lucky VBC we can put our wool into forward contracts, so they have been exceptionally helpful," Mr Barber said.
"They didn't have to give us contracts, because they have struggled as well.
"But, to their credit, they have looked after us and is helped us tremendously."
Coliban Park averaged averaged about 1400-1500 cents a kilogram for its clip.
"Were looking forward to next 12 months, coronavirus did hinder us with wool sales with Italy, because they were in such a bad way too.
"We were are able to still sell - we managed our markets, by dribbling the wool through."
The Barbers didn't experience the problems with shearer shortages, which hit other producers.
"We changed contractors two years ago and have had no problem getting shearers," Mr Barber said.
"We know of others who have had problems and shearing has taken a lot longer than it normally does.
"We shear in August and September and they were wo and a half weeks to do us, which was just brilliant."
He said getting shearing out of the way made it easier to keep on top of other jobs.
"If we can get that job done, we can keep everything flowing ."
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
