AT least for a weekend, Hamilton will become the home of the International Harvester Club of Australia, as it joins with the Hamilton Pastoral Museum to hold a rally in Hamilton on February 10-11.

Agricultural and construction equipment, automobiles, commercial trucks, lawn and garden products, household equipment and more, manufactured by the International Harvester company, whether it is branded with McCormick, Deering, Farmall or Cub Cadet names, will be heading for Hamilton.

The International Harvester name has long been associated with agriculture. In 1902, the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company and Deering Harvester Company, along with three smaller agricultural equipment firms merged to create the International Harvester Company.

Local collector and restorer, Lance Mason, is getting some of his tractors ready for what will become a sea of red at the Hamilton Pastoral Museum in Hiller Lane.

Lance’s introduction to collecting and restoring tractors came about when his father, Geoffrey, in 1988, suggested they restored a tractor, but he died before they could begin.

But the idea to restore a tractor continued to grow. He started with a Grey Fergie, then an International WD-7 and it grew from there. Lance is uncertain about how many tractors his sheds hold.

“Just a few”, he smiled.

“I just like finding them, then restoring them, working with friends and family with the same interests. It’s a real stress breaker”

Lance receives assistance with his restorations from fellow enthusiasts, Dave Meyer, Shane Kenny, Pete Huf, Peter Hobbs and his son, Paul.

At the Hamilton Rally, Lance will have a Farmall row crop tractor and an Australian made AW7 K (petrol/kero), one of only 187 made. While the row crop tractor has only needed spark plugs and a fanbelt, the AW7 came from a dairy farm at Yambuk with no bonnet, a pair of lock-on pliers in place of the steering wheel, no footplates and car tyres on the front.

The International Harvester Club of Australia was formed at the final Geelong plant reunion, which has an active membership of 350 past employees and interested people from across Australia, New Zealand, England, Sweden and America.

Visitors to the Hamilton Pastoral Museum at the February 10-11 weekend rally will be able to get up close to some of these rare and collectable tractors, trucks and other machinery.

There will also be a tractor pull, rides on the miniature railway, a display of classic and vintage cars and, of course, the Grand Parade at 2pm.

The Museum’s 20 historic and purpose-built buildings will also be opened to the public.

Spread across many hectares, they house more than 3500 historical objects on display.

Gates open from 10am until 4pm each day. Food and soft drinks will be available at the canteen.