Antique Machinery

ONe of Australia’s oldest professions, and one of Blacktown City’s favourite sports in earlier times, is one of the attractions at this year’s Blacktown City Show.

In the early days no-one thought of woodchopping as a sport, just another novelty show attraction. Brawny, hard-drinking axemen took part in informal contests, but there were no rules as such.

Gradually rules did evolve and by the beginning of the century, woodchopping became established as an important event at any big show in Australia and New Zealand. The advent of the chainsaw ended the era of the axemen in the forests but the sport lives on and is still thriving in Australia.

Sydney Antique Machinery Club is back again this year. They will be easy to find by the sound of old engines running like they did when Grandpa was a boy.

Come and have a look and a yarn with the Club members who have brought a few samples of their hobby for you to enjoy in a good restoration they run as badly as they did when they were new. Tell them about your own favourite memory of old machinery from when you were growing up in the (so called) good old days. The Club was formed to bring together people with an interest in old machinery, particularly old engines and tractors and the equipment driven by them.

The Club promotes the preservation and restoration of this equipment and its members provide advice and assistance to each other. The Club meets monthly at Hawkesbury Showground, between Windsor & Richmond and organises one major rally each year on the third weekend in September.

They also attend many events run by other organisations, and conduct displays of their machinery.

A 1/3 scale Fowler traction engine, built by one of our members, will be moving around the Showground and is worth a close look when you see it.