Dede Atkinson

[Dede Atkinson]

My name is Desrae Atkinson and I go by Dede Atkinson. Born and bred in Echuca, Yorta Yorta Country, Bangerang tribe.

I grew up being around in the shearing sheds with my Pop who started the family tradition. Learning how to rouseabout, and then I wanted to learn how to shear.

I've been to shearing school at Steam Plains. Like, every day we learn each part of the sheep.

So like for example on a Monday we learnt how to take the belly off first, and then on a Tuesday, like the crutch, and then on Wednesday, it would be the first leg and then by the end of the two weeks, we like put it all together like a puzzle, at the end.

The longest learning curve, would have to be where I position my feet when I'm shearing, and tucking your feet right, like toes right in, like you got to learn to dance with the sheep.

Learn how to shear a whole sheep by the end of the two weeks, because shearing’s an art, not many people can do it.

Body went through absolute hell, learning how to shear.

So, we get up and have our brekkie, and then we start at 7:30, that's when the first run starts. The run goes for about two hours and then smoko is at 9:30, and then we have half an hour’s smoko.

Shearing gear is very expensive to start as a learner. A normal hand piece, just the hand piece is like $1,500. A grinder is like $2,500. Combs and cutters are like, $150.

The wool classing course that I’m doing at the moment is with Australian Wool Innovation, just to have another skill under my arm. If I get an injury with shearing, I can just jump on the wool classing table, and class the wool.

Yeah, my mum was a rouseabout, she used to go out with her pop. Yeah, shearing is a big tradition in our family.

So, like back in the days, women weren't allowed in the shed. Every time the shearers would see, like, the cook coming, or something, they’d yell out “ducks on the pond”.

There’s only roughly about 2,000 women shearers in Australia. Having that title, like being the first girl in my family to become a shearer, that’s pretty cool.

That’d be good to see more Blak women in the industry. Be confident enough to step out and ring a shearing contractor and say, ‘Hey, I want to learn how to do this’.

The best trade, ever.

[Dede Atkinson]

My name is Desrae Atkinson and I go by Dede Atkinson. Born and bred in Echuca, Victoria, Yorta Yorta Country, Wallithiga Country, Bangerang tribe.

I’ve always loved agricultural work, just started off going out in the sheds with Pop and my uncles and brothers. Just loved being out there, and learning how to rouseabout and then I wanted to learn how to shear.

To learn how to become a rouseabout is, you just go out in the shearing sheds ,and you just learn how to identify locks, the bellies, the pieces. Like, there’s all different types of like, what we’ve got to separate into their own significant bins.

First off the belly, and then we’ve got to put that in a main line, like a bin or like a wool bale.

You learn off other rouseabouts who you’ve never worked with or even shearers. Every time I’m on a stand I always take in what other shearers do, experienced shearers have different styles.

I like having a little challenge. A lot of men, dominated jobs, that’s all what I love, being in the heat and working hard.

But that’d be good to see more Blak women in the industry. You can do anything, you can put your mind to it. If you want to do it, you go do it, because you can do it.

It’s pretty easy to get in the shearing sheds. Be confident enough to step out and ring a shearing contractor and say “Hey, I want to learn how to do this”. Everyone like, in this country, we’re all about giving everyone a go, and if you love it, you love it.

[Dede Atkinson]

My name is Desrae Atkinson. I go by Dede. Born and bred in Echuca, Yorta Yorta Country, Wallithiga Country, Bangerang tribe.

I’ve always loved agricultural work. I grew up being around in the shearing sheds with my Pop, who started the family tradition.

At the moment I’m learning to do my wool classing ticket. So, they teach you to class different type or lines of wool: so like you got good wool, you got your broad wool, the pieces that you get off from skirting. So, you got like all lines of wool. That’s what a classer does.

What I love about this job is just the camaraderie of being around hard workers. It encourages you.

The best trade, ever.