{"id":320365,"date":"2025-11-26T18:34:04","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T18:34:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/agriculture\/dare-to-dream-how-wool-captured-city-girl-sam-wans-imagination\/"},"modified":"2025-11-26T18:34:04","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T18:34:04","slug":"dare-to-dream-how-wool-captured-city-girl-sam-wans-imagination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=320365","title":{"rendered":"Dare to dream: How wool captured city girl Sam Wan’s imagination"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The western suburbs of Sydney are a world away from the green, sheep-dotted pastures of Gordon, Victoria, but Samantha Wan\u2019s story shows us the power of dreams.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a first generation Australian-born Chinese. My Mum is from Hong Kong with Macanese heritage and Dad is Chinese Malaysian. I\u2019m the eldest of two and from Blacktown, 35kms west of the Sydney CBD,\u201d Sam explains.<\/p>\n

Sam might not have had exposure to agriculture at home but in high school a passion was ignited when \u201ca great teacher, keen classmates and a mixed bunch of black Corriedales opened up the world of ag shows, sheep classes and junior judging\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Sam\u2019s passion for wool and sheep has seen her win awards and take the next step to buying a farm. Image: Elders.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hooked on wool and sheep, Sam studied agriculture and wool science at university and on completion in 2012 was accepted into the Elders Trainee Program. She hasn\u2019t looked back.<\/p>\n

\u201cWool broker doesn\u2019t quite make the top three careers your Chinese child should be \u2013 doctor, lawyer and accountant \u2013 so it\u2019s a good thing my parents didn\u2019t fall into stereotypes,\u201d Sam says of the leap of faith her parents made in setting their first-born off into the unknown. But it was a world she soon made her own, moving to Melbourne to auction wool.<\/p>\n

Success came quickly. In 2018 Sam was named the Elders Employee of the Year and in 2019 she was awarded the prestigious Wool Broker of the Year title. Then, came COVID. Yet the lengthy Melbourne lockdowns gave time for Sam, and husband Tom, to reflect.<\/p>\n

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Sam\u2019s husband Tom with Charlie and Bear.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Creating a life on farm<\/h3>\n

\u201cTom and I had dreamt of land of our own and COVID brought that dream closer. After the lockdowns we were really looking for more space and to reconnect with life.\u201d<\/p>\n

In November 2021 they settled on a 16ha block at Gordon and while most hobby farmers tend to stock their places with cattle or wool-shedding sheep Sam, who has auctioned some of the finest fleeces in the country, could only choose Merinos.<\/p>\n

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I don\u2019t think I would be able to live it down if I got Dorpers from the start!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

With a broad knowledge of the wool industry and plenty of support Sam and Tom sourced 50 Merino ewes from Pendarra Merino Stud at Benambra and Dave the Ram from Munro-based stud Mace Hill Merinos. \u201cWe thought about running wethers but breeding allows us to see the whole life-cycle, to watch them grow, to shear them and to ultimately have a bale of wool to sell at auction.\u201d<\/p>\n

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It had to be the wool-producing Merino sheep for Sam and Tom.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sam is taking time to learn about her new venture and leans on mentors and colleagues for advice, and while much of her time is spent renewing fences, resting and rejuvenating paddocks and preparing for rotational grazing her greatest joy comes from realising her dream and sharing it with others.<\/p>\n

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Imagine a kid from the suburbs being able to sell her own wool! Don\u2019t wake me if I\u2019m dreaming.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cThis tree-change was for us \u2013 to take stock of where we were, what we were doing and to learn and grow together. Our \u2018why\u2019 is the enjoyment of open sky, rainbows and constellation-spotting at night, collecting fresh eggs, apples and tomatoes, hatching our first chickens, waking up to new lambs and being able to share all of it with friends and family.<\/p>\n

\u201cThree of my aunties came to visit recently and they\u2019re amazed we\u2019ve got chooks and eggs, and I went to a cousin\u2019s wedding and they couldn\u2019t believe we had 50 sheep. Even owning land is something different for my family.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Living the picture perfect rural life is a far cry from growing up in Sydney.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Celebrating Australian wool<\/h3>\n

Sharing her love for the sheep industry has been a signature of Sam\u2019s career. She regularly goes into schools with The Archibull Prize to speak with students and has created her own website and blog<\/a> celebrating Australian wool.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe teachers and mentors in my life didn\u2019t just give a suburban kid a glimpse of a world outside the city. They enriched my life. From them I drew direction into an incredibly rewarding, constantly evolving industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf by sharing my story I\u2019m able to convey my passion for an industry that adopted such a black sheep, it might open the eyes of someone who didn\u2019t think agriculture was the place for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

This story was first published in June 2023. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n