Trainee shearer Cody Pearce says she didn't expect to fall in love with the wool industry when she started working at a South Australian sheep station.
"I didn't actually grow up on a farm," Cody, 17, said.
"I got into it through school and that's history ever since."
She is among the next crop of shearers learning their craft at Pandurra Station, about 40 kilometres west of Port Augusta.
The property, which has been in the Nutt family since 1895, is celebrating 50 years of its shearing training program.
Cody, who is originally from Mount Pleasant, said she had felt welcome and cared for in the first six months of her career.
"Young people get to come together and learn some new skills and techniques and just make it easier for yourself as your daily job," she said.
Paying it forward
Pandurra Station owner Bruce Nutt said the training program was established to address shearer shortages — an issue which continued to impact the industry.
But he said the station had secured a loyal family of shearers over the years.
"The thing that really strikes me about the whole shearing industry is a willingness to give back and to share," Mr Nutt said.
"You'll get these fellas who are really, really good shearers and they might be coaching a fella alongside them who is going to compete in a competition on the weekend against them."
He said past employees often returned to the station to continue the tradition.
"You've got people who've been world champions, Australian championship shearers, and they'll come back and do some training," he said.
"They pay it forward … with interest."
Pandurra Station hosts the shearing school in partnership with the Shearing Contractors' Association of Australia.
Mr Nutt said it was not a costly exercise for the industry.
"The shearers are all paid by us," he said.
"There's never ever been a subsidy of any sort to us."
He said it was a unique situation.
"Something that lasts this long — 50 years of training is, well, I wouldn't say unheard of, but it's very unusual," he said.
He said Pandurra Station had been in the Nutt family for six generations.
He said his family credited its growth to hard work and sustainable practices.
Global recognition
Pandurra Station recently received Responsible Wool Standards accreditation.
The voluntary, globally-recognised program verifies high standards of animal welfare and land management.
"We're one of the few that have gone that way so far — so we're hoping that gives us a bit of an edge in the future, and I hope the world keeps wanting that particular product," Mr Nutt said.
Mr Nutt, who participated in the training program in 1975, said the future of the wool industry looked bright.
"Unless someone comes up with some miraculous shearing machine, there will be shearers still shearing sheep — provided the world still wants wool," he said.
"And the quality of the young people — they're really, really good.
"Some of these young people are exceptional shearers.
"There's no doubt about the future there."
Tait Johnson, 18, from Streaky Bay, said he had come across many perks during his three years in the industry.
"I love being a shearer because it's good money and you get to travel all around the state and make a good wage at the same time," he said.
