WILLOWBROOK COTTAGE A SHEEP FARM COTTAGE: NARACOORTE

The Vines at the entrance to Padthaway Estate near Naracoorte tell us a lot about how times have changed in the southeast. The vineyards now stretch for miles. But years ago this was all sheep country.

You get a sense of the wealth generated by the wool industry as you stroll around the solid township of Naracoorte, where the banks and commercial buildings speak of times when Australia really did ride on the sheep's back.

"At one stage, the area around Naracoorte was the most productive wool area in the world per acre."

The aptly named local museum, now housed in what was once Simpson's Flour Mill back in the 1870's, locals like Judy Murdoch tell the story of those who came to the swampy plains and sandy ridges of the southeast to run their sheep.

The first to arrive were the Scots in the 1840's with local landownders such as George Ormerod and John Riddoch taking up huge holdings throughout the southeast, employing shepherds to keep watch on large flocks which roamed the largely unfenced countryside. They were a very severe looking bunch and that's understandable when you see the hardships they had to contend with when watching over their sheep.

"Back in the early days before the large pastoral runs were fenced, shepherds used to travel in small teams and they'd bring their own portable corrals with them. When the sheep were taken care of for the night, it was the hut keeper's job to keep watch and he'd do so from one of these portable watchboxes".

But over time, the wool clip steadily increased. Back in the 1920's woolgrowers began to reap enormous rewards following the introduction of a new fertiliser commonly known as super - which added much need phosphate to the soil and the cultivation of subterranean clover which overcame a nitrogen deficiency. Soon farms were booming.

"Someone was telling me that their production was increased by nine fold because of it. And their grandfather and father had succeeded only in meeting interest payments - they hadn't paid any of the principal off from the time they had settled. And with the super business, they were able to pay the farm off in less than four years".

Amid the solid stonework of Naracoorte sit a sprinkling of wooden cottages, reminders of the plentiful supply of timber in this heavily wooded part of South Australia. And century old Willowbrook Cottage makes for a perfect base from which to explore this part of the upper Southeast. It was once a workman's cottage, and is within walking distance of the Sheep's Back Museum. The cottage offers bed and breakfast accommodation. For bookings contact Lynette Lauterbach on 8762-0259. The Sheep's Back Museum is located in McDonnell Street at Naracoorte and is open daily. For more information email info@postcards-sa.com.au