Roseworthy Agricultural Museum

You've heard about boys and their toys, well there's a group of blokes who have taken the whole thing a bit further than their toy meccano sets. My Chauffeur for the day was John Miels, a member of the Gawler machinery Restorers Club. Just for fun they restore old tractors like this beast, a 1926 30 horsepower Hart Parr from the USA. It's the oldest tractor at the Roseworthy Agricultural Museum, based on the Roseworthy Campus of the Adelaide Uni. The Museum also houses a more conventional display of farming implements and machinery collected from around the State. Their pride and joy is half scale working model of a stripper, the original wheat harvester. It was built in 1885. One of the more unusual machines is a tractor that is started using a 12 gauge shotgun cartridge. A tap with a hammer takes the place of an electric starter. The gunpowder blast runs over a 5 litre, single cylinder 40 horsepower diesel engine. Apparently that's fairly impressive. Most of the machinery in this shed has been restored to working order. In these days of electronic ignition and computerised fuel injection systems, there's not much call for old machines like these. But the collection of about 60 volunteers keeps them in top condition and they love to show them off.

The Museum is open every Wednesday and the third Sunday of each month. Entry is $3 for adults and $1 for kids. A family ticket is $6. There's and open day next Sunday from 10am to 5pm. For more information you can email info@postcards.sa.com.au