Cute and unusual

Local owner/breeder Val Johanson says this year's National Alpaca Week is a fun show-and-tell about the alpaca's Australian story.

"It is fabulous to pat an alpaca and to feel and learn about its luxuriously soft, cashmere-like fleece," Mrs Johanson said.

"Australia is achieving world record prices for fine fleece bales at the moment, and our stud animals are in high demand internationally, often fetching tens of thousands of dollars."

"They are also beautiful, clever companions so come along and see what happens when an alpaca looks you in the eye - it can be love," she said.

Mrs Johanson and her husband have around 250 alpacas on their property, including both Huacaya and Suri breeds, and many babies. She said that after 20 years of breeding Angora goats, they made a change to Alpacas in 2004 and hadn't looked back

"After 800 goats, Alpacas are just so easy. They have soft hooves that don't destroy the ground, they're easy on fences, they do well on native pasture, they have very little worming problems, and they make great pets," she said.

"They're also excellent guards against foxes. They're so protective of their young, they'll chase foxes off or kill them. We've actually sold a number of alpacas to farmers specifically as guard animals."

To learn more about the alpacas at Qozqo, phone Val Johanson on 0412 887 857 to make an appointment. The farm will be open each day from this Saturday until next Sunday, May 12, but by appointment only.

Activities will include learning about alpacas, understanding the difference between suri and huacaya, meeting 60 baby alpacas, bottle feeding a cria, halter training, matings, handling fleece, yarn and finished garments.

Also open in the Queanbeyan region will be Alpaca Magic at 2771 Sutton Road, Sutton. They're open Monday and Wednesday and next weekend. Phone 02 6230 3311 or visit

www.alpacamagic.com.au

for more information.