The Paris Prize

By: Tania Blanchard

Narrated by: Kate Gorman

In the rugged heart of sheep country, a woman can dream ... From the shearing sheds of the Great Dividing Range to the highlands of Scotland, Maddy Rainforth is on a mission to make the finest Merino wool - and now the glittering catwalks of Paris are calling. But it will take much more than just a dream.

Grazier Maddy Rainforth lives and breathes wool - and not just any wool, the finest Merino wool that can be grown. Maddy dreams of a day when her golden fleece is the toast of the country, but it's going to take everything she and her family can offer - and sometimes a bit more, when the country that gives so much bounty can also take it away.

Battling the unforgiving elements takes her all - from devastating drought to deadly bushfires and suffocating dust storms and more - as well as the demands and heartbreak of war, and the expectations of an industry run by men. Inspired by her family's heritage, Maddy travels to the highlands of the Scottish Isles to trace ancient techniques, and begins to produce her own unique, woollen fabric in colours drawn from the country around her. Soon Australia is riding high on a wool boom - and as haute couture in Europe rises from the ashes of war, Maddy's fleece and fabric is in demand. And now the prestigious Paris Wool Prize - which has launched the careers of the most famous designers in the fashion world - is knocking on Maddy's door.

But Maddy's journey is fraught with challenges - prejudice, heartbreak, and the ever-present threat of failure. For fans of The Dressmaker, The Paris Seamstress and the The Woolgrowers Companion, The Paris Prize is a rousing story of a woman who turned dust into Dior and the indomitable spirit that defines what it means to be Australian - one of love, legacy, obsession and passion.