As the feature breed at the weekend's Australian Sheep and Wool Show at Bendigo, Corriedales a limited number of breeders are still giving the breed the commercial tick.

Among the tough, wind-swept basalt rises you will find sheep with genetics from the original Corriedale stud in Australia, still making good money for the Cole family more than a century after they landed here.

Six generations of Coles have now run Corriedales at West Cloven Hills - with a seventh eager to follow in their footsteps.

Nicholas Cole said each Corriedale ewe would produce an income of at least $100 this year.

On average each ewe produced a five-kilogram fleece of 28 micron wool that sold for an average of 400 cents a kg. Lambs averaged $70 this year, plus 1.5kg of 26-micron wool.

It is a diverse and reliable income stream.