Carnamah Big Tractor helps entice visitors to the region, preserve history and promote agriculture

The world’s biggest tractor has become the main tourism attraction for one small Mid West town, after the replica was unveiled at the North Midlands Country Carnival at the weekend.

After six years of planning, Carnamah’s Big Tractor Project is officially complete, with a Chamberlain 40K replica unveiled to the public at the North Midlands Agricultural Society’s NMAS Country Carnival on Saturday, October 5.

Hundreds of spectators gathered on Yarra Street at 11am to view the replica, which is five times the original size at 11.5m tall and weighing 42 tonnes.

Geraldton-based DIAB Engineering was tasked with constructing the tractor, costing $654,000, with the funds mostly raised through community fundraisers, and private and corporate funding.

It was built in Geraldton over the last year before it was disassembled and transported to Carnamah.

TrachMach founding president Bob Lukins thought up the idea about 30 years ago and said it was heartwarming to watch his long-time dream come to fruition.

He said recognising the Chamberlain 40K by building a giant replica was a great way to preserve Western Australia’s history.

“I am really relieved, it was a massive effort right from the word go, the committee we’ve had and working with a historical group up there in Carnamah. It all went very, very well, it was incredible,” he said.

“There’s an enormous amount of hard work involved, we applied for every government grant and every one of them got knocked back. We realised we had to do it on our own.”

Mr Lukins said the first Chamberlain tractor was established in 1949 and 11 sold within the first year. Farmers in the wool and sheep industry had large amounts of land to clear and he said the tractor was exactly what they needed.

“The concept of the bigger, higher horse tractor is exactly what the farmers were looking for,” he said.

Big Tractor committee chairman Brendon Haeusler said he was proud to see the project come together successfully, with more than 2000 people attending the launch.

“It will definitely boost tourism and numbers coming into town and the entire district as well. Instead of people just passing through, it will make Carnamah a destination for travellers to stop and spend more time in the region,” he said.

“There’s still a bit of work to go onsite, we just finished the night before the opening.”

Mr Haeusler said signs and a shed would be erected in the coming weeks to house the original tractor, which will be located at the site alongside the replica.

There is also an original Chamberlain radiator that will be transformed into a donation box for visitors.

The unveiling was followed with a vintage tractor parade to Niven Park. More than 50 tractors lined the main street, with 25 fully restored tractors, as well as a Chamberlain crane and a Chamberlain air seeder.

Shire of Carnamah president Merle Isbister said she acknowledged the achievement and was looking forward to seeing the town develop and grow as a result of attractions such as the big tractor.

“Carnamah is predominantly in a rural agricultural area, and we are dependent on our big tractors, so it has a massive significance to our rural area,” she said.

“It’s a massive tourist attraction, so hopefully it will also make people think about how we can build Carnamah and maybe people will think about moving to live here.

“It certainly will have people coming to Carnamah to see it and admire it.”