Wangaratta Woollen Mills was officially opened in August 1923 on the site it still sits on today by the then-Premier Harry Lawson. Initially producing high quality worsted yarns, it was soon acknowledged to be the most progressive spinner of high quality knitting yarns and subsequently grew to be Australia's largest mainland mill. In 1991, the Wangaratta Woollen Mills label merged with that of Cle
ckheaton and Panda to become the Australian Country Spinners, and then with Patons Australia and Shepherd of New Zealand in 2000. In 2017, Australian Country Spinners and the associated site was bought by Colin Walker, owner and operator of Bendigo Woollen Mills. Mr Walker has since officially restored the name of Wangaratta Woollen Mills to the site.
