WOOLWORTHS - IAN MOIR APPOINTED CEO OF COUNTRY LTD

STATEMENT TO THE JSE AND LSE
25 AUGUST 2000

COUNTRY ROAD TODAY ANNOUNCED THE APPOINTMENT OF IAN MOIR AS THEIR NEW CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OFFICER WITH EFFECT FROM 1 NOVEMBER 2000.  MR MOIR, WHO FOR THE PAST
TWO YEARS HAS BEEN CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR THE COMPANY, TAKES OVER FROM IAN
THOMSON WHO WILL BE RETURNING TO THE UK AFTER A 21/2 YEAR TENURE AS CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OFFICER.  IAN THOMSON WILL CONTINUE HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH COUNTRY
ROAD WORKING ON A CONSULTANCY BASIS HELPING DEVELOP NEW STRATEGIES AND BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITIES BOTH IN AUSTRALIA AND IN OVERSEAS MARKETS.  HE WILL REMAIN ON THE
BOARDS OF BOTH COUNTRY ROAD LIMITED AND OF PARENT COMPANY WOOLWORTHS HOLDINGS
LIMITED, AS A NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

COMMENTING ON THE MOVES, CHAIRMAN MAC DRYSDALE SAID:  "IAN THOMSON HAS DONE AN
EXCELLENT JOB AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND THE BOARD ARE CONFIDENT THAT HIS
ONGOING ASSOCIATION WITH THE COMPANY WILL HELP FURTHER DEVELOP THE COUNTRY ROAD
BRAND.

IAN THOMSON AND IAN MOIR LED THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGY
THAT HAS RESULTED IN COUNTRY ROAD'S MAJOR TURNAROUND OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.
IAN THOMSON HAD ALWAYS MADE IT CLEAR TO THE COUNTRY ROAD BOARD THAT ONCE HE HAD
OVERSEEN THE RESTRUCTURE OF THE COMPANY, PUT A TURNAROUND STRATEGY IN PLACE AND
ESTABLISHED A CLEAR SUCCESSION PLAN, THAT HE WOULD SEE HIS JOB AS COMPLETE.
IN IAN MOIR WE HAVE A TALENTED AND CAPABLE INDIVIDUAL WHO KNOWS THE COUNTRY
ROAD BUSINESS INTIMATELY AND WHO WILL ENSURE CONTINUITY OF DIRECTION.  HE IS A
NATURAL SUCCESSOR TO IAN THOMSON AND WILL ENSURE COUNTRY ROAD CONTINUES ITS
RETURN TO SUSTAINABLE PROFITABILITY.

THE BOARD JOINS ME IN CONGRATULATING HIM ON A WELL DESERVED APPOINTMENT AND WE
SHARE GREAT CONFIDENT IN HIS LEADERSHIP AND ONGOING SUCCESS OF THE COMPANY."
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

COUNTRY ROAD TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT IT HAD APPOINTED JONATHAN PINSHAW AND RON
BAKER TO ITS BOARD WITH EFFECT FROM 25 AUGUST 2000.

JONATHAN PINSHAW IS CURRENTLY DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF JOHN FAIRFAX HOLDINGS LIMITED
AND A DIRECTOR OF F2 LIMITED.  HE WAS FORMERLY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER -
AUSTRALIA OF BRIERLEY INVESTMENTS LIMITED AND PRIOR TO THIS, HELD THE POSITION
OF MANAGING DIRECTOR OF FREEDOM FURNITURE LIMITED.  HE HOLDS A BACHELOR OF
BUSINESS SCIENCE AND A HONOURS BACHELOR OF COMMERCE.

RON BAKER IS CURRENTLY A DIRECTOR OF MITRE 10 AND HAS EXTENSIVE RETAIL
EXPERIENCE SPANNING 40 YEARS.  HE WAS MANAGING DIRECTOR OF HARRIS SCARFE
LIMITED FOR 8 YEARS.  PRIOR TO THIS HE HELD THE POSITION OF MANAGING DIRECTOR
OF THE CHARLES DAVID GROUP OF COMPANIES.  HE HAS SERVED IN A SENIOR CAPACITY IN
MYER AND A NUMBER OF OTHER AUSTRALIAN BASED RETAILERS.

MAC DRYSDALE COMMENTED:  "BOTH JONATHAN PINSHAW AND RON BAKER ARE EXPERIENCED
RETAILERS WITH A SUCCESSFUL TRACK RECORD.  I LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT I AM SURE
WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT AND VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION FROM BOTH INDIVIDUALS."