Shearing in the Riverina, New South Wales

In the early twentieth century, it was often said that 'Australia rides on the sheep's back'-a reflection of the nation's dependence on the wool trade. Accordingly, a vast itinerant army of labourers was required to shear the sheep and prepare fleeces for market. In this essay, Rolf Boldrewood provides a vivid picture of the shearing season on a large property.