Black beauty

THERE’S a black sheep in every family, but in some circles it’s considered a blessing.
The Black and Coloured Sheep and Woolcraft Day will be held at the Cranbourne Public Hall on Sunday 14 August from 9.30am.
Anyone with an interest in sheep other than the boring old white ones should come along and get an eyeful of these multi-coloured marvels.
Features of the day will include the fleece market, naturally coloured wool, yarn stalls, craft supplies, handcrafted goods and, apparently, plenty more. The parade of hand crafted garments is always a highlight of the day.
The display of naturally coloured sheep – no bottle blondes here, thankyou very much – will also pack in the punters.
Members of the South Eastern Coloured Sheep Owners Society will be on hand to answer questions so visitors are encouraged to come prepared with coloured sheep queries. Entry is $5 for adults, with children under 16 getting to have a look for free.
Refreshments will be available on the day. The South East Region of the Black and Coloured Sheep Breeders Association of Australia started holding the Pakenham Field Day back in 1978, with the racecourse used for the popular event.
Originally, it was intended to be a day to show members and the public how to handle these sheep, with demonstrations on health, lambing, ear tagging, and castration.
Later, members wondered how to dispose of unwanted sheep, so a butchering display was added.