Glyn Rees, On Our Selection News
One of the region’s premier events, the annual Allora Heritage Weekend, will see the Allora Showgrounds host a two-day feast of historical machinery displays and activity on Australia Day weekend, January 27th and 28th.
Vintage vehicle and machinery enthusiasts from around the nation will again have the opportunity to take to the many roads leading to Allora and its picturesque showgrounds.
Heritage Weekend President Graeme McMillan is forecasting one of the more successful events since the inaugural gathering in 1996.
Having been involved in the Heritage Weekend since its initial event, Mr McMillan can draw on great memories, mostly amazing event successes with the odd hiccup of washouts through rain and Covid influence.
“We have been able to boast attendances of around 5,000 patrons over the past couple of decades,” Mr McMillan said.
“The historic machinery consisting of tractors and agricultural equipment, cars and heavy vehicles, motorcycles, stationary engines and a collection of other history flavoured displays including antiques proving a winner with those attending.”
As in past years a Swap Meet will be underway from 6am on Saturday and Sunday, and there will be a wide selection of eateries to meet public demand, along with a licensed bar across the weekend.
Feature machinery and vehicles are always a highlight of the Heritage weekend, with a selection this year to inspire collectors and restoration enthusiasts along with the many wandering in a journey in history.
This year a celebration will take place recognising 50 years of Versatile Tractors, which will be taking pride of place in the feature machinery avenue.
Versatile is a Canadian agricultural machinery manufacturer, the company founded in 1963 in Winnipeg.
January 24th 2024 marks the 50 years of Versatile Tractors being sold and delivered in Australia.
In 1972 Colin Uebergang acquired the Versatile Tractor Company distributorship in Australia, and formed Versatile Farm Machinery which was located on his property ‘Copperfield’ at Crooble, NSW.
Five Versatile tractors were imported in the first shipment, with the first machine sold on January 24th 1974 to C.H. Ledingham at Biniguy NSW.
Jack Barry of the Milbong and District Classic Tractor Club, organiser of the official Versatile 50 Year celebrations in Goondiwindi in February, will provide six machines for the Allora Heritage Weekend.
The feature machinery taking pride of place among thousands of working and static exhibits will include Articulated and European tractors; European trucks and Cars; Southern Cross and Ronaldson-Tippett stationary engines and Aerial motorcycles.
Well known bush poets Graham Kirkland, Marco Gliori, and Allan Hoey among others will be on hand to entertain.
As always, the Weekend will provide significant memories for some, and a wondrous education for others, but you can be certain it will hold the attention of the thousands who are expected through the Showgrounds gate with a display that is rated among the best of its type in the nation.
While historical machinery will roll into Allora from around Australia, the contribution from local vehicle and machinery restorers gives accurate recollections of Allora and the Southern Downs’ historical past.
Those wishing information should contact Mr McMillan on 0428 717 623.
This article appeared in On Our Selection News, 18 January 2024.
