Australian owned & grown, Romney, Corriedale and Coloured sheep, award winning fleeces, Top and yarn from the farm
Welcome to Cloverleaf Stud a farming social enterprise focusing on sustainable land management and ethical animal participation. Integrating water, soil and farming practices that includes the integration of native Australian animals to support sustainable and environmentally friendly outcomes.
My focus is to connect you with the property, the sheep, their personalities, likes and dislikes.
The fleeces are assessed against national expectations with fleeces shown nationally and regionally. In 2024-2025 Cloverleaf fleeces won the Australian National Fleece competition, Royal Melbourne Show, Geelong Royal Show and Sydney Royal Easter show competitions. Our 2026 year has gained National Most Valuable non-merino and Royal Melbourne show Supreme coloured fleece and most valuable Corriedale fleece.
Our Team.
Ronelle
Owner, Manager, Spinner:
Born in Sydney and raised on the Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland, I’ve lived in Brisbane, Townsville, the UK, Melbourne, Papua New Guinea and back to Melbourne for study and work — but the farm is my piece of paradise.
As a first‑generation farmer, Victoria was a big shift from the tropics, yet the property, the animals and the community are what bring me joy.
I’ve been a jack‑of‑all‑trades: student, jillaroo, investment‑bank PA, radio promotions, marathon runner, researcher, motorcycle instructor, manager and positive dog trainer.
Since buying my first five sheep in 2013, I’ve learned to spin, knit and even shear (poorly). I love vegetable gardening, though it doesn’t always love me back. More recently, I’ve drifted into three‑sheep dog trialling.
PhD, Master of Public Health & Tropical Medicine, BBiomedSci (Hons), Cert IV Training & Assessment, Cert IV Companion Animal Studies, Cert II Shearing and Cert IV Wool Classing.
James
Infrastructure manager:
Born and raised in Brisbane before joining the RAAF. James spent 12 years in the Airforce posted around Australia and being called on for overseas service. Exiting the RAAF he continues full time work in aviation. He is the master of fence construction, shed building, irrigation and maintenance. Besides providing a comfy home for the sheep, his passion is his homebrew and flying (not in that order). James runs an aircraft business from the property with STOL (short take off and landing) aircraft arriving and departing from our airstrip. see Swish Projects for more information
Bachelor of Arts, Masters of Science (Aviation)
Jess
Co-farmer:
Sunbury (Victoria) born Jess is an amazing young woman to have around. Coming to the property out of high school Jess now runs her own 60 acre property with a Corriedale and Coloured sheep studs called Barree. I could not operate without Jess as her knowledge is invaluable, her passion infectious and her strength to wrangle a wayward sheep quite amazing.
Bachelor of Agriculture.
L-R: Jack, Duch, Blue
Farm hand:
The work would be far more difficult without the farm dogs, whose calm, steady handling keeps the sheep moving and the unruly rams in line. I simply couldn’t do it without them.
Compassion, families, ethics, land and community. And you.
The sheep are part of the farm family and their wellbeing is the priority; they remain in family groups and come when called which helps to move them from paddock to paddock. They watch with interest the activities of the people they share the land with, are inquisitive and like a scratch.
We choose shearers that value a quiet and gentle method of shearing, are not mulesed and their well-being and care comes before profits...... they all share a space where they are literally the image of happy sheep roaming the hills.
All this means the sheep are happy and content sheep with few stressors who produce quality wool.
This story is also about you. When you buy Cloverleaf fleece, tops and yarn, you know the choice you are making supports ethically grown, single source products that honors the animals, land and the communities that make this possible. All funds raised through Cloverleaf sales are reinvested back into the property, sheepy well-being and the message of fairness, kindness and respect.
Ronelle Welton. ABN 67 693 501 298