TRACTOR, PIONEER LAND-CLEARING

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c. 1920 - 1927

Subcollections

Overview

A black & white photo of a very large tractor with a woman in the driver's seat holding the steering wheel. This photo has been cut down into a circle shape from original size.
A prominent, tall vertical cylindrical open-topped water cooling tower dominates the centre of the chassis.
A large, square metal frame housing a primitive airflow/condenser mesh is positioned at the front right.
Heavy, spoked cast steel wheels are present. The larger rear driving wheels are fitted with prominent, heavy rectangular metal cleats designed for soil grip.

Historical information

Based on the mechanical design of the oil-pull/traction engine and the historical timeline of early agricultural mechanization in Western Australia, it likely dates back to the early 20th century, rather than the WW2 era of wood gas vehicles.
During the 1910s and early 1920s, Western Australia’s grain belt (including areas around Toodyay) underwent massive agricultural expansion. To replace teams of heavy horses, pioneering farmers imported or built massive single-cylinder oil/petrol traction engines. The heavy machinery was essential for dragging log rollers to clear stubborn native scrub and timber.
The woman's casual attire is characteristic of practical, every-day women's fashion worn by rural women in the mid 1920s.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-37-2001.1633

Item type

Photographs

Themes

Agriculture

Width

95 mm

Height or length

85 mm

Year