Riverland Hit 'n' Miss Rally 10th & 11th August 2019
What: Riverland Hit 'n' Miss Rally
Working vintage machinery and tractors plus stationary engines and collectables
Who: Waikerie and Districts Machinery Preservation Society Inc.
When: 10 August 10am - 5pm and 11 August 9am - 3pm
Where: Benson Park, 14077 Sturt Highway, Waikerie SA 5330 (13km east of Waikerie towards Barmera)
Contact: Erica 0437 912 327 or Ron 0448 757 456
A family day out with a variety of stalls, food and drinks.
Features events such as the Vintage Tractor Pull, working displays of Vintage Farm Machinery and trucks, hand/mechanical sheep shearing, stationary engines and blacksmithing. Replica Tom Kruse Mail Truck and Ford Quadricycle, there's something for everyone!
Riverland hit 'n' Miss Rally - Contributed by Matthew Blandford
The Riverland’s Hit ‘N Miss Rally is named as such due to it being a big hit with people of the Riverland and beyond, drawing crowds of between three and four thousand people at each event, and also because you would be unwise to miss it. Okay, this is not exactly true. In reality the term ‘Hit ‘N Miss’ is a reference to a vintage style of stationary engine designed to only fire—or to hit—below a predetermined speed, but to otherwise operate freely—or to miss—while functioning at high speed.
This popular country show happens every two years, thirteen kilometers outside Waikerie at Benson Park, and the next installment is penciled in for the 10th and 11th of August in 2019. In order to learn more about the event and the organisation behind it, SAcommunity spoke to Pat Leske, Publicity Officer for the Waikerie and Districts Machinery Preservation Society.
Pat initially became involved through her husband who had always been interested in engines and machinery and welcomed the opportunity to meet other like-minded people. Together the two of them made friends and stayed involved, with Pat assuming the role of Publicity Officer for the Society. Like many involved in community organisations, Pat found herself hurled into the world of social media, where she continues to learn on the job by maintaining the Society’s Facebook page, uploading photos and creating content to promote their activities.
The Society was born out of a shared passion for vintage farm equipment when in 1994 the eyes of the Riverland community gazed upon Waikerie for the Riverland Gadget and Field Day. It was here that the concept for a museum was established, rather coincidentally, when crowds were wooed by the array of vintage farm equipment, once symbols of ingenuity and innovation but now superseded and at rest in Waikerie.
These days the Society’s importance is two-pronged—not unlike a bale fork—and exists not only to collect, restore and preserve farm machinery, but is also involved in the noble endeavor to educate children on the district’s history. Most current members have worked in some capacity on the land, and these members embody the society’s origins as a place where people can come together to swap ideas and be immersed in a shared interest.
The museum is central to the Society’s dual role as a place for recreation and education. Open days occur every June long weekend but the museum can otherwise be accessed by appointment for groups and school excursions. Inside you will find an appreciation for both old and new, with painted and fully restored agricultural and horticultural equipment as well as rust covered pieces in their original condition. Many items are fully operational and these moving displays serve as excellent tools for teaching. The Society also features a range of collectables to attract all comers, with vintage kitchenware and sewing machines to be found.
The themes central to the museum are amplified by the biennial Hit ‘N Miss Rally. In 2019 the main attractions will include a Tom Kruse mail truck replica, replica Ford Quadricycle as well as the main event: The Vintage Tractor Pull, whereby a vintage tractor tows a sled for as long as it can before it splutters to a stop. The event will also showcase engine displays and demonstrations, shearing, blacksmithing, farm animals and a variety of stalls.
The Waikerie and Districts Machinery Preservation Society are always looking for new members of any age. So if you’re a grease monkey, love vintage farm machinery, or have a desire for preserving local history, you are encouraged to get involved!
