Wool, weave, warp and weft. Today's post is brought to you by the letter W.
Australia is famous for its wool industry and Geelong was once known as the 'Wool centre of the world'. The National Wool Museum is housed in an old bluestone building and has 3 levels of exhibition space, with permanent historical exhibits as well as temporary exhibitions (see link at end of this post).
Reproductions of farmhouses, shearing sheds and life on a sheep station can be found throughout the galleries. Videos show working dogs in action, shearing techniques, and sometimes a real sheep comes to visit, for a live shearing demonstration.
There's even a reproduction cottage, Reminiscence Cottage, which can be used as a sensory experience for older people with dementia to visit.
A 116kg bale of high grade fleece was once sold for over $1,000,000 and made into some very fancy pants suits.
A stunning piece of equipment is the 1910 Axminster Jacquard Carpet Loom, which was put through its paces when we visited. There are other interactive displays and machines to try yourself, like the 1940s Komet Sock Knitter.
What: National Wool Museum
Where:26 Moorabool Street, Geelong
When: Mon-Fri 9:30am-5:00pm, Weekends 10:00am-5:00pm
Why: wool industry, history
How Much: $8.25
Related: Wildlife of Gondwana Exhibition
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