When Wool Was King

By Alec Morrison

The inside story of Australia's wool industry

The Australian wool industry has seen boom times and busts, wars and droughts, political upheaval and market manipulation. Alec Morrison lived through it all. When Wool was King is his story. Working his way up from jackeroo to chief executive officer, Alec experienced all facets of sheep station life. Towards the end of his career, he became one of the most influential figures in Australian wool. Alec’s first-hand experiences bring to life the world of this nation-defining industry: from demanding but generous station managers to hard-toiling shearers, he worked alongside them all. When Wool was King traces wool-growing from the 1920s, when Australia rode securely on the sheep’s back, to the start of the twenty-first century, when it faces a very different future. Alec transports you into the social fabric of the once-grand sheep station, and then describes its demise at the hands of relentless social and economic forces. This book paints a colourful picture of what life was like when ‘wool was king’.

Soft laminated cover  287 pages  (2009). ISBN 9780980397031 RRP: $29.95