DENSE black clouds of diesel exhaust, roaring engines and thousands of onlookers turned Easter into a celebration of the tractor – and showed the farm workhorses still have incredible pulling power.
First up was Woorinen, where the Mallee Steam, Oil and Machinery Club staged its vintage rally and tractor pull, which pulled a crowd from Victoria, South Australia and the ACT.
Then the spotlight switched to Easter Saturday and the 45th annual Quambatook Tractor Pull (also known as the Australian Tractor Pull Championships).
MSOMC president Mark Bail said the club had already started planning for next year.
“We had a lot of people from down south come, and their comment was that it was a good, relaxed and perfect weather weekend,” Mark said.
“They love coming up here for it.
“We haven’t had a rally for the last three years because of COVID and things, so everybody was keen to get their machinery out.”
Saturday began with a street parade, followed by tractors under lights and the tractor pull sled, before a machinery auction and the main pull on Sunday.
At Quambatook the tractors and their drivers were valiant, but sleds such as The Executioner more than lived up to their reputations as they sabotaged pull after pull.
At one point the aptly named Disorderly Conduct barely made 25 metres when it veered sideways and careered off the track.
Tractors of every colour, age and condition came from South Australia, Tasmania, NSW and Victoria to try their hand with the big boys and girls.
Club president Tim Betson said “it was a hectic week”.
“I think I aged another 20 years when I heard the weather forecast for the day, but we were very lucky the rain held off,” he said.
“I’d also really like to thank our small but dedicated group of volunteers and our very generous sponsors. Without them, there wouldn’t be an event.”
