Muralgarra Merino from WA
Launched last year, Muralgarra is a Merino wool clothing brand named after the remote sheep station 500 km north of Perth on which the brand’s founder Neil Morrissey was brought up.
The Morrissey family has been continuously involved in the Western Australian sheep and wool industry since 1841 when Neil’s ancestor Michael Morrissey arrived in Fremantle from Waterford in Ireland. Michael established a large wool-growing business near Geraldton and then expanded eastwards into the Yalgoo region. In 1873, Michael’s son John established Muralgarra, named after a Wadjarri word meaning ‘place of many flowers’.
Although over the years Muralgarra station slipped out of the family’s control, Neil’s father bought back the property in 1988. It was here that Neil and his siblings Simon and Jacinta were brought up, completing their schooling via the School of the Air. Despite the remoteness, Neil is very proud of being raised at Muralgarra and the property remains very important to him.
Being a large, rangelands property, mustering and shearing were major events at Muralgarra. Mustering took a full month and was assisted by using an aeroplane to locate the sheep for the stockmen. Neil continues the tradition of aerial mustering to this day and believes the world is best seen from the left hand seat of a Cessna.
Launch of the Muralgarra brand
The maxi dress, T-shirts and shorts from the Muralgarra range.
With the love of Merino wool in his blood, Neil is keen to share with the wider public his appreciation of the natural and sustainable qualities of the fibre, including its softness, breathability, durability and odour resistance.
Last year, with the involvement of the wider family, Neil launched a clothing brand, named Muralgarra. The brand sells a range of women’s crop tops, singlets, leggings and dresses as well as unisex T-shirts and shorts – with a focus on everyday and active wear enhanced by the luxurious comfort of Merino wool.
Available in a range of colours, the apparel is made from 100% superfine Australian Merino wool of 18 micron. Keen to support the Western Australian apparel industry, all the Muralgarra garments are proudly designed and made in Perth.
Tapping into the more than 180 years of wool-growing knowledge of the Morrissey family, the brand is eager to showcase the natural benefits of Merino wool to a wider audience across Australia and beyond.
More information: www.muralgarra.au
This article appeared in the December 2024 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine. Reproduction of the article is encouraged.
