Last Updated on March 3, 2017 by Red Nomad OZ
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| TE20 Harry Ferguson Tractor Monument, Wentworth |
In a parallel universe, the Australian government and public service pantheon would have been well placed to see first hand the effects of ‘policies’ governing the Murray Darling Basin in the capital Wentworth, at the junction of the Murray and Darling rivers.
BUT … while iconic Wentworth, once busiest inland port in the country, was one of several locations considered as potential Australian capital sites post Federation, it lost out to Canberra. Australia thereby forever losing the opportunity to take the capital to the people … But I digress!
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| ‘Grey Fergie’, Wentworth NSW |
The first monument to a tractor in the WORLD, it commemorates the vital part played by the ‘grey Fergie’ in protecting the town from destruction by the extraordinary 1956 flood that devastated downstream South Australian towns.
The TE20 Harry Ferguson tractor, of course!! An actual ‘grey Fergie’ tractor greets visitors entering the town across the river – a much more showy monument to this humble farming implement than the small bronze cast of the original.
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| First Tractor Monument in the world! |
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| ‘Grey Fergie’ Monument wording |
Never knew Wentworth has been considered for Australia’s capital. Love the monument! Every place has to have some claim to fame and this is an interesting story about the flood.
It’s SO weird that I’m one of the few people in the world to have seen a tractor monument, Nicole! That’s what’s so great about travelling downunder 😀
@SFlaGuy – I’m known for it!! But you don’t say whether or not that’s a good thing …
You find the most interesting obscure facts.
@IWBY – yep, that’s much better!! Come back anytime!!
@Manzanita – I believe Massey and Ferguson merged later, but I’m no tractor expert!
@NJAMB – I’m sure it would! I’ve also see a (now defunct) big peanut in OZ, but not the others although I’m sure it’s just a matter of time!). BUT … you saw it here first!!!
I think that the Fergie monument would fit in very well in many of the small farming communities in the Midwest. I’ve found monuments to peanuts, pecans, and watermelons, so a tractor wouldn’t be considered strange around here in Texas!
Red …. This enters into the category of, “Can you top this?” Yes pun. 🙂 Why do I recall the name Massey connected with Ferguson and I also recall a Massey Harris tractor. Massey must have joined financial tractor forces somewhere along the line.
Manzanita@Wannabuyaduck
hi most people write IWBY or you can call me Bee 🙂
It did, I did take a break and get out my jammies, but I came back here 🙂
@IWASNTBLOGGEDYESTERDAY – girlfriend, you gotta get a new short name! I’m exhausted just typing it out!! Welcome, and hope my travels made your day worthwhile!!!
i love canberra,i visit a lot,can’t afford to live there thogh,houses gone up 500% in 12 years.
if when you are looking at your stats,you see someones been here for an hour or so…that’d be me lol not going to get any work done today,i’m following your travels.
@Alessandra – Yes! Canberra exists for almost no other purpose than machinery of government. Wentworth already had a purpose!!
@PDP – I’m sure there is … but just between you & me I’d have to change the status of this blog if I were to verbalise it!!
@Lilly – Why thank you for those kind words!! Do you know a publisher?? AND … I’m thinking I don’t have to make a choice – I can do both!!
I truly enjoy this adventure we are all on with you – thank you for the tractor info today – very interesting and really nice photos. Have a great day – just wondering, when you finish? your adventures, are you going to become a public speaker or write a book? I will buy your book, however I have to start saving now to come to Aussie Land to hear you speak. Have a great day Red. Cheers, Lilly p.s. on the other hand, if it were me, I would choose to be an adventurer the rest of me days 🙂
Very entertaining post Red. Sometimes you have to wonder if there is a special ‘qualification!!!’ that is required to be a politician?
So the people had to go to the capital…
@Andrew – You should remember oranges!! It’s within cooee of Mildura in the heart of Sunraysia! Perfect place for the capital if you ask me … but then where would all those public servants come from??!!
@Joan Elizabeth – the original is easy to miss as it just looks like a cairn unless you know what you’re looking for.
@Betty – If we don’t learn from history we are doomed to repeat it (or whatever the saying is!!)
@magsx2 – it does look a little ridiculous – until you realise what it represents!
@Windsmoke – yes, that’s what the Wentworthians said! And yes again, that’s me in the header pic!
@Eccentricess – it’s scary when you’re actually standing there and realise you and everything around you would have been under water!
@Dianne – Yeah! Find THAT anywhere else!!
Well now we have a tractor on a pole! Love reading your posts!
Enjoyed that immensely and love their monument to the height the floods would have reached – intimidating!
Thank god for the reliable Fergie. Fantastic new header, is that you in the background? :-).
Hi,
I had to laugh at the tractor, it really does look odd up there in the air, as you say “only in Australia”. 🙂
i love your header.
fantastic picture!
that second photo is very impressive!
great history lesson. 🙂
happy weekend!
big hugs!
betty xx
When I was there I was so interested in seeing the two big rivers join that I missed this monument.
May god save the Fergie, surely the most utilitarian tractor beast ever made. Hang on, just checking exactly where Wentworth is. Ah, went through there. I remember oranges. Might have been a good place for our capital, a long way from Sydney and Melbourne.