Thornbury Vintage Tractor Museum in Southland is a must to visit – Kem Ormond

Thornbury Vintage Tractor Museum has an amazing range of restored vintage tractors.

Kem Ormond is a features writer for NZME community newspapers and The Country.

OPINION

Where is Thornbury, you may well ask. I will put my hand up and say that I had to look it up.

Thornbury is a small township on the east bank of the lower Aparima River, in western Southland, and is just 32km from Invercargill.

I have to admit that I am a real enthusiast when it comes to museums, old farm machinery and anything to do with our pioneering families. Whether it involves a large tractor, a small scythe or a butter churn, I love them all.

I have collected kitchen memorabilia for years, but alas tractors proved too large.

I was interested to find out how many tractor and machinery museums we have in New Zealand.

I can tell you that we have a lot and hopefully during the year I will find the time to write about a few, as I think they are worth a mention, along with acknowledging the many volunteers that run them.

Thornbury Vintage Tractor Museum is now on my to-visit list, and hopefully sooner than later.

I love the story about how this museum started and how it has evolved into what it is today.

The collection started before 1956, when a man called Jack Mackenzie, who was travelling along a country road, stopped to relieve himself in the long grass.

He happened to glance down into the river and saw an old tractor on the edge of the bank.

It was a 1914 Avery tractor that was in desperate need of restoration.

To cut a long story short, it was salvaged and with the help of local friends and keen tractor enthusiasts, they managed to get it up and running.

Then it was proudly driven down the road in the Thornbury Parade to celebrate Queen Elizabeth ll’s coronation.

A fully restored 1914 Avery tractor takes pride of place at the museum.

This started the ball rolling and soon a local carrying company donated a section, and with Jack being a builder, it wasn’t long before a shed was erected.

Then Jack and his friends started sourcing old tractors they could restore.

Locals started getting involved clearing out their old sheds and dropping in some real treasures to be added to what was becoming the start of a tractor museum.

From 1956 until approximately 2009, it was just a collection of old vintage tractors, farm machinery and family mementos dropped off by families in the district.

Funds had been applied for to purchase more land and as the collection grew more sheds were built.

Between the 1960s and the present day, seven museum buildings have been erected.

When the time came for the museum to apply for funds to expand, the reply from the funding organisations was, “We don’t want to fund a collection, you really need to tell the Southland farming story”.

Volunteers Tom Parkes (left) and Tom Fowler hard at work on a tractor restoration.

They say it takes a village to raise a child and you could say it takes a village to build a museum; plus, some extras if you want to turn it into something special that will tell Southland’s farming story.

And that is what happened.

Many hands, some good guidance and a lot of fundraising meant that on Saturday, February 17, 2024, The Thornbury Vintage Tractor and Implement Club celebrated a significant milestone, the opening of its latest edition to its Rural Heritage Centre – its “History of Southland farming “display.

The display offers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of Southland’s agricultural past, such as the shearing shed, freezing works, the Port of Bluff, Stock and Station Agents, fencing, sheep, farming, animal health, rabbits, drainage surveyors, early settlers and the clearing of the bushland.

They recreated “The Southland Farming Story” with fantastic visuals and a rich collection of items and artefacts, and with panelled information scripted by the late host of A Dog’s Show, John Gordon.

The display finishes with a tribute to Gordon who passed away before it was completed, acknowledging he was a vital link to making it all happen.

As museum member Fraser Pearce said: “John paints a lovely picture with his words which are easy to read and somewhat poetic even for us blokes.”

Learn about the history of Southland farming from displays recreated to help you visualise what life was like for those pioneering farmers and their families.

You need to plan ahead when visiting this museum, as there is so much to see.

This includes a fully restored 1914 Avery tractor taking pride of place, a rare 118hp superheated Garrett Steam engine, one of only three remaining in the world, a huge array of tractors and farm implements, a blacksmith shop complete with horse-drawn implements, a selection of steel-wheeled tractors, a Willett display and a working workshop.

I have hardly touched the surface and then there is its new History of Southland Farming display.

The Southland community has a lot to thank for the vision and hard work of many locals who have preserved this history for years to come, a history that could have easily been lost.

The museum is open every Sunday from 1.30-4.30pm and on public holidays and those running it are also happy to show organised groups around.