|
| 
The Wentworth Grande Resort Festival of the Flood 1956 – 2006Incorporating the Massey Ferguson Great Wentworth Tractor Rally 2006To Order Fergie Memorbillia Click Here What a weekend! For those of you there, you will know exactly what we are talking about. For those who could not make it for whatever reason, all we can do is try to impart some of the excitement and spectacle of the Wentworth Grande Resort Festival of the Flood 1956 – 2006 and the Massey Ferguson Great Wentworth Tractor Rally in words and pictures.
First things first. The official count of grey TE20 Fergies. The official TE20 Fergie count was 232 in the rally itself (from a total of 281 tractors taking part) and another 66 on static display at the Wentworth Showgrounds. That means a total of 298 TE20 Ferguson’s took part in the weekend’s activities creating a new Australian record! The organisers of the annual Grey Fergie Tractor Muster at Bendemeer had claimed a record of 154. With 298, Wentworth must surely now be able to rightly reclaim the grey Fergie capital of Australia mantle! The total number of (Massey) Ferguson tractors taking part was a whopping 350 joined by another 20 or so representing marques including Fordson, Lanz Bulldog, McCormick and Chamberlain. The Rally started at Buronga about 9am, under grey, but not too threatening, skies and after participants and supporters were welcomed to the Wentworth Shire by Mayor, Cr Margaret Thomson. The Rally starting count was 196, including two V8s, who certainly caused a stir as did the grader, the ex-Army DUKW amphibious vehicle and one of the modern giants of the Massey Ferguson fleet complete with fully appointed and climate controlled cabin. The modern tractor’s cabin’s heating and stereo were certainly cause for envy as the stalwart Fergie drivers shivered in the open air of the early morning cool. The cavalcade of tractors moved out smoothly, making their way via River Road to Dareton where another 30 entrants joined in.
Then it was off to Curlwaa and a stop for an early lunch at the Watmuff Memorial Oval and a meeting with more of the Fergie fraternity for the last leg into Wentworth. The lunch stop proved to be a popular break from the cold steel seat and a great time to compare machines, swap tales and catch up with friends, old and new. Then it was time to be off once more and by the time the Rally made it way to Wentworth there were more than 280 tractors in a long line that stretched more than two kilometres. When the first tractors arrived at the Showgrounds front gate, the rear-most were still in Delta Road! And there was a surprise awaiting participants. The Wentworth Shire had drawn a large grey Fergie on the oval and proceeded to park the incoming tractors to outline its shape. The idea proved to be a spectacular success, with organisers having arranged for a helicopter to take its official weekend stills photographer and video cameraman for a flight to capture the moment from the air. It was the proverbial jewel in the crown of the Rally and the resulting photograph is sure to become a sought-after collectors item (See separate story). While the Rally had been making its way to Wentworth, the historic river port’s mainstreet had played host to the Wentworth Community Bank’s Wretro Wheels Show ‘n’ Shine while the Darling River was home to a flotilla of river craft including our own Paddle Steamer Ruby and The Coonawarra. The mainstreet, and also Wharf Road, were packed with classic automobiles along with motorcycles and the odd truck and drew a crowd not seen in the mainstreet for many a year. The mainstreet and Wharf Street activities proved to be a real crowd pleaser and kept the estimated 2000 people entertained for sometime before the tractors arrived at the Showgrounds.
Other people pleasers were the Wentworth Historical Society’s ‘The Flood in Focus’ photographic retrospective in the newly- refurbished art deco town hall that attracted huge crowds all weekend; the Country Energy ‘Art of a Flood’ exhibition at the Red Café that was equally popular and complemented the fine coffee very nicely and the ‘1 in 100-Year Drought’ photographic exhibition in the town’s Memorial Rooms complex that provided a neat contrast to the flood exhibition. All three venues hosted a stream of interested people all weekend. The art exhibition and the colourful banners that adorned the mainstreet and the Silver City Highway into town were organised by Wentworth Arts. The banners were painted by local primary-aged school children. Wentworth Arts also commissioned the art at The Red. It was the work of Wentworth artist Steve Hederics, his partner Anne Hederics, and local sculptor Lyn Symes. Previously, the Friday night film night at the Wentworth Services Sporting Club was a huge success, with the 1956-era films having to be shown twice to cater for numbers that wanted to see them. But when the tractors arrived at the showgrounds, the focus for Saturday shifted from the town centre to the showgrounds complex. The ranks of the crowd from town swelled to more than an estimated 2500 to welcome the cavalcade as it arrived and the people were soon amongst the assembled tractors for a closer look. Much of the crowd departed the Showgrounds as the sun set and it began to get cooler, but many a Fergie stalwart stayed for an evening of song and mirth as compere ‘Guido’ (Anthony Davis) and singer Peter Sheen entertained the hardy Fergie throng.
To ward off the cold, many turned to the official Great Wentworth Tractor Rally 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon and there was much praise for ‘a drop of vintage Fergie fuel’. It was up early again Sunday morning for a hearty cooked breakfast as the tractors appeared through the early morning mist. Then it was off into Wentworth for the now traditional Sunday morning Mainstreet Muster, this year sponsored by the Wentworth Services Sporting Club. More than 300 tractors packed Darling Street between Adelaide and Helena Streets for the official presentation of the Fergie Awards and another, not-to-be-missed, photographic opportunity. The weather was perfect and the sun shone on row after row of grey Fergies, resplendent in the morning sun. Local tractor enthusiast Colin ‘Smacca’ McKenzie recreated history when he parked his entry in the front bar of the Royal Hotel to be served a cool beer by publican Ron Andrews (Yes, that Ron Andrews, the former Essendon great!) It was the final gesture for the weekend as the Fergie faithful began to think about making their way home. There are already rumblings about another Rally in the future and we will keep you posted. Maybe 2011?
More Information
|
