Tools of the Wool Industry

These tools represent the tough, hands-on work of sheep farming in the Mid West during the 19th and early 20th centuries—when every task, from marking lambs to shearing wool, was done by hand.

Castrator: Used to castrate lambs, this tool made a quick incision before clamps were applied to remove the testicles.

Ear Punch: Each property had a unique ear mark. Punching the ear created a lasting, visible ID for every sheep.

Hand Dipping Shears: These were used by early shearers to trim fleece. In the 1930s, workers were paid by the sheep, about 30 shillings to £2 per thousand shorn.

Blade Shears: Used before the invention of mechanical clippers, blade shears made shearing a slow and strenuous job.

These tools may be simple, but they shaped the rhythm of rural life and laid the foundations for Western Australia’s wool industry.