Meskills Woolworks - end of an era

Do I boast, crack open the bubbly or cry ?   I have the LAST TWO HANKS, yes the last ones EVER from the Meskills Spinning Mill in Kyneton, Victoria.  The demise of this wonderful establishment earlier this year has meant that a host of small wool producers wanting their product spun to finished yarn now have to go elsewhere.  Most I spoke to at Bendigo have sent their bales to New Zealand; a few to Echo Beach Alpacas in South Australia - but the general consensus is that we have lost forever the ability for small niche producers to have their fibres finished locally, in Australia.  How sad it is.

Dairing have rescued one of the Meskills spinning machines and have installed it at their premises in Melbourne as a relict of this bygone era, but the rest has gone for scrap.

The woollen goods business continues to trade out of the premsies in Piper Street Kyneton and last month I purchased the last two hanks available.  Some producers such as Jarob Farm and North East Yarns have enought spun yarn for a couple of years, but for many, the costs associated with, and the quantities required, to send to New Zealand, are just too prohibitive.

On a positive note, the guys from Wolf at the Door at Hepburn Springs, Vic have leased the wonderful 1860s  building, formerly the Kyneton Butter Factory Co-operative, laterly housing the spinning mill operation from Meskills and have just opened The Stockroom.  This gallery and retail space featuring Australian designers and makers is a welcome addition to the vibrant Piper Street precinct.