Waroona auction: More than 900 vintage machinery enthusiasts turn out to bid $220,000 for ‘biggest’ collection

One of Australia’s biggest vintage machinery collections was broken up and sold for more than $220,000 at the weekend when Neil Twaddle auctioned all 600 pieces from his private museum. The antique and vintage items were put on sale at Waroona through Perth-based Donelly Auctions, with the highest price paid for a single item $14,250 for a 1934 Austin A7 Chummy. The vehicle was totally rebuilt in 2022 by Mr Twaddle and his son Warren, attracting considerable attention and 99 bids on Sunday. Warren said nearly all the items were sold across the weekend, with just four pieces – some collectable tins and an old sign – sold privately after the auction. Nearly 1000 people from as far away as Perth, Albany and the Wheatbelt gathered at the Twaddles’ home to view and make bids on the collection, with Warren attributing the success in part to advertising and a story in Countryman last week. “There is a really strong passion for vintage machinery … people were coming and saying they had seen the story and wanted to come and buy items,” he said. “We were really happy with how it went.” Another piece that attracted interest was a red, 1920s Simplex acid chemical mobile fire hydrant restored by the father and son two years ago, which netted $6250. Head auctioneer Mat Donelly said it was among the biggest private collections of vintage stationary engines to be sold in Australia, with items amassed across 40 years. Even some of the simpler items had fierce bidding wars, with 38 bids for an original enamel sign from agricultural insurance company Horwood Bagshaw, reaching $525, while a Pioneer 20 chainsaw had 25 bids placed, and sold for $260. The rare diesel and petrol-powered machines — some of which were among only a handful left in Australia — also went for a mint in the auction, with bidding wars emerging over several machines. A fully restored Massey-Harris 102 Junior tractor drew 85 bids during the auction and sold for $2650. Many of the diesel and petrol-powered machines — some among only a handful left in Australia — were used on farms before electricity took over, fuelling shearing plants and dairy stations. Also for sale was a large collection of Golden Fleece memorabilia accumulated by Mr Twaddle when he was the Waroona agent for the Australian oil company. It is shaping up to be an exciting month for WA’s farm machinery sector, with the State’s biggest machinery auction — tipped to be worth more than $35 million — taking place on February 14 to 20. The sale comes as the Saudi owners of the State’s largest farm aggregation offload their vast inventory after selling the 78,000ha Merredin Farms Wheatbelt portfolio to a group of six local farmers, including WA grain king John Nicoletti.