New Zealand - Trucking - Truck Load of Wool for Ribbonwood station - Circa 1929 New Zealand wool boom - The New Zealand Wool Boom of 1951, one of the greatest economic booms in the history of New Zealand, resulted directly from United States policy in the 1950–53 Korean War. - In 1950, when the Korean War broke out, the United States of America sought to buy large quantities of wool to complete its strategic stockpiles. This led to the greatest wool boom in New Zealand's history, with prices tripling overnight. In 1951 New Zealand experienced economic growth never seen again since. The echoes of the boom reverberated into the late 1950s, by which time a record number of farms were in operation. - The export price of wool declined by 40% in 1966, however New Zealand's sheep population continued to rise. From a total of 34.8 million in 1951, sheep numbers rose dramatically to peak at 70.3 million in 1982. However the subsequent free-market reforms of the Fourth Labour Government (in office: 1984-1990), and the associated removal of agricultural subsidies saw numbers decline even quicker than they had risen. By 2004 the national flock had dropped to a total of 39.3 million, the lowest in 50 years. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_wool_boom) Omarama - A small town (population 267 at 2013 census) at the junction of State Highways 8 and 83 - Near the southern end of the Mackenzie Basin, in the South Island of New Zealand - Omarama is in the Waitaki District, in the southern Canterbury region. (Reference: Wikipedia) Omarama - Means the place of light and glider pilots love the air above the small township near the southern end of the Mackenzie Basin. - As a junction town, Omarama is naturally a great place to stop and stay if you're coming from Christchurch, Christchurch or from Ohau via the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail. - After a long day travelling or pedalling, have a relaxing soak in a private hot tub filled with pure mountain water at Hot Tubs Omarama under the starry night sky. (Reference: read more at https://www.newzealand.com/nz/omarama/) ---------------------- Image source: Collection of the Waitaki Archive. Id 104264 https://collection.culturewaitaki.org.nz/objects/104264/truck-load-of-wool-for-ribbonwood-stationomarama-circa-1929