Coffee with Uncle Bob: Part 2

Farmer and Tracmach Founder

In our August newsletter, you met Bob Lukins. He spoke about the challenges and joy of growing up on a WA farm in the 1940s and 50s. He was a self-taught mechanic and collector of old farm machinery. This passion led to his desire to form Tracmach, the Vintage Tractor & Machinery Association of WA.

How was Tracmach started?

Ever since I can remember, I have loved old machinery. I have always been fascinated by how they were built. I held a dream for many years to organise a day when these old machines could be seen in their past glory. I have visited many museums in my time, but my real aim was to see these machines participating in what they were built for.

In 1980 Mary Buscher, a journalist from the Countryman newspaper contacted me as she had heard that I was collecting a few old tractors. She came out to the farm to write an article. 

During that interview, “I said to Mary I was aware of big tractor clubs in America, and that wouldn’t it be great if we had a vintage tractor club in WA. She said why don't we add a line at the end of the article to see if anybody is interested in forming a club to get in touch with you. Following the publishing of that article, my phone didn't stop ringing. It seems I was not the only one interested in old farm machinery. There was a lot of interest from farmers all around Western Australia.

In September 1981, I organised a meeting in Wagin to see if there was enough interest to form a vintage tractor club. Unfortunately, only nine people came along but we decided to go ahead and form the club anyway. I was made president, and my wife Bette was secretary. At that meeting an old fella, Jack Moyes from Wagin said let's call it the Vintage Tractor and Machinery Association of WA, with the logo being Tracmach.  All agreed, and to this day that name has never been challenged or altered.

The Constitution was set with the purpose to ‘collect, restore and preserve the history of every tractor in Western Australia’.

It took ages to get that club going and I got despondent at times. It was only the encouragement of Gordon Malcolm from Kulin, Jack Moyes from Wagin, and another fellow from Geraldton who pushed me to keep it going.

We had our first field day at our farm in 1981. Surprisingly lots of people turned up bringing many old engines and tractors.

The second field day in 1982 was also at our farm and was a huge success.  We had enormous numbers and quickly realised that it was far bigger than we could handle. For this reason, the field days were merged into the Kukerin Agricultural Show and this got it going in 1983. “

Tell me more about Gary Brookes

“In 1985 I had a call from a lady in Dardanup. She said her husband, Gary Brookes, was interested in joining Tracmach. He wasn't a farmer, but he loved international tractors. I had two old international tractors and an international truck, and I said that he could have them. Gary came to collect them from the farm, and then he turned up at the next Tracmach show with two huge truckloads of tractors and earthmoving moving gear that he had apparently quickly gathered from around the southwest. It was the enthusiasm of people like Gary Brookes that created the energy which grew Tracmach into a statewide organisation. '

“On one notable occasion, we had an event called One Hundred Years of Rolling Wheels, to which Gary brought 3 road trains and 2 semi-trailers full of dozers and tractors, including the ‘Jolly Green Giant’. It was a huge dozer with two motors, made a massive noise, and blew a hell of a lot of smoke. It was very popular on that day.

“He also came up with the idea of setting up a museum in Dardanup, on an old dairy farm. We moved a lot of our own old tractors and farm machinery to the museum, and Gary created a huge collection. This is now known as the Dardanup Heritage Park, a world-class museum. Even after Gary passed away his wife, Jill, kept the Heritage Park going.

In between seeding and harvesting on the farm, I worked there for many years helping to keep his dream alive.”

What was the background of the Busselton Jetty crane?

In 1981 I got a phone call from a guy in Busselton. He had operated the steam powered crane on the Busselton jetty for many years. He told me he was on the crane when cyclone Alby hit in 1978, driving in a few piles as the jetty listed sideways. As the jetty leaned, the crane fell into the water and he jumped off. Alby destroyed part of the jetty. The crane was eventually salvaged and taken to Bunbury. Les called and asked me if Tracmach could do anything with it. I said it was too big, but he was convincing, so we put a tender, bought that crane and had it moved to the farm. I got it going on the farm just in time for that second field day. Les used to come to all the field days and operated it. It was a very popular attraction due to the steam power.  It would lift a 2-tonne crawler tractor and leave it suspended in the air. At the field days people would be walking underneath this crawler tractor. You couldn’t get away with that these days. Eventually we moved the crane to Dardanup Heritage Park where it remains today. I would love to see it go back to the Busselton Jetty one day.

What was Tracmach’s involvement in the giant tractor project?

“I thought it would be great to commemorate the pioneers of farming by building a giant Chamberlain tractor, the icon of early farm clearing in WA. Luckily the idea was picked up by Carnamah and after many years of planning, and a huge effort from the Carnamah community, the giant Chamberlain 40K, the biggest tractor in the world, was recently unveiled to the public.”

Tell me how is Tracmach going today?

“We have about 500 members in WA and most other states. It's been going for 45 years. The organisation has become more than a collection of old farm machinery. It has created lifelong friendships, camaraderie, and a very strong link to our past. We hope that the next generations continue the organisation well into the future.”

Visit www.tracmach.com

Interview by Brendan Taylor