In 1965, John's family moved to the pastoral country after buying Kootaberra Station, 65 kilometres north of Port Augusta.

Adjoining stations Hesso and Mount Arden were also bought to increase the holding to 1600 square km, and 20,000 dry sheep equivalent capability.

Now, 16,000 self-replacing Merino ewes are run across the aggregation, with a high priority given to protecting the feed bank.

"We don't renovate the country so we can't overstock it," he said.

"Once you lose the bush, it's hard to get back and we find 16,000 head is manageable through both good and bad times."

For the past 20 years, John has bought Collinsville bloodlines for their large frames and free-growing, 21-22-micron wool.

Up to 9000 breeding ewes are mated in December for lambing in winter, with lambing averaging between 75-90 per cent.

The flock is mustered in late winter for lamb marking and shearing, which can take up to five weeks.

At this time, the previous year's wethers and ewes are weaned to replace sale stock (1.5-2.5-year-old wethers and cast-for-age ewes).

Some wethers are sold for export, while the rest are sent to market at Dublin or Jamestown or sold on-property.

When maximum numbers are run, John generally classes the flock to cull young ewes with low quality wool.

He aims to produce a sound 21M wool, which is possible because the country "supports it".

He only wishes the market will do the same.

"Wool prices are all over the place because of the world economy and the exchange rate (of the $A) at the moment," he said.

"You can only hope for the best-possible price at the time, and put reserve prices on your wool."

John does not forward-sell, preferring to spread his wool out over a series of sales to minimise risk.

* Extract from a full report in Stock Journal, July 2 issue.