Meet the WA couple who truck show-winning Merinos 3500km to Bendigo each year

A Western Australian couple were a key part of the success of some of the country's top Merino studs at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo last weekend.

Paul and Michelle Williams, Albany, WA, have been working with the state's Merino breeders since the ASWS started at the Prince of Wales Showgrounds in Bendigo 25 years ago.

They transport many of WA's top sheep 3500 kilometres across the Nullabor every July - unloading them in perfect condition, ready for the showring.

"We're basically semi-retired but we do this one trip a year," Mr Williams said.

"We do the Bendigo trip, then my own cows, and that's it, it's parked up."

Ms Williams said it was their "annual holiday".

The couple work with Robyn Jones, Stud Merino Breeders' Association WA, and Rob Mullen, Wickepin, WA, and Ashley Lock, Narrogin, WA, to arrange the logistics and paperwork for hauling the sheep interstate.

"That makes it very simple for us to handle," Mr Williams said.

"We don't have to do any paperwork.

"We do what we do, and they do what they do.

"It makes the job so much easier."

Merino breeders bring their sheep to Mr Lock's Narrogin property and the Williams load them there.

They left Narrogin last Monday at 10.30am WA time and arrived in Bendigo on Wednesday morning at 6am.

The return trip kicked off on Sunday afternoon, and the couple were set to arrive back to Narrogin on Tuesday night.

They've become astute sheep transporters over their 25 years of doing the trip and have it down to perfection.

They transported all their own feed, fodder and bedding.

"We feed and water [the sheep] at Port Augusta, SA, most of the time, sometimes earlier," Mr Williams said.

"It depends on how we get across the Nullabor.

"We can't go any further due to the fact it's nightfall and you can't see what you're doing inside, see who's drinking and who's not drinking.

"It's got to be done in daylight hours.

"Other than that, it's a non-stop trip."

The couple made a special effort to keep the moisture out of the truck and prevent condensation - all to ensure the Merinos stayed in good health and ready for the ring.

"We're very conscious of the showers of rain," Mr Williams said.

Inside the truck, they had tarps made out of hessian to keep the moisture levels low.

"We go to all that effort," he said.

"They arrive here ready to walk into the showring.

"I was told the full wools could have walked in within four hours of us unloading them, ready to go."

And ready to go, the sheep were.

Rangeview Merino and Poll Merino Stud, Darkan, WA, had several ribbon winners over the course of two days of competition at Bendigo.

Judges and spectators commented aplenty on just how well the WA sheep presented.

The semi-retired duo had no plans of ending the annual trip to Bendigo, as it was as much a social outing as paid work.

"If they want us, we'll keep going," Mr Williams said.

"Or until we're too old," Ms Williams added.

"[Merino exhibitors] are a very happy group to us, very obliging, and we work well together."