Bendemeer gearing up to host 7th triennial Grey Fergie Tractor Muster and Land Rover Gathering

A passion for tractors runs deep in the veins of long-time Bendemeer resident Winston Doak, who helped organise the town's first Grey Fergie Muster in 2003.

They may be slow, but a love for Fergies has since grown quickly throughout the community, who this month will gather out of mutual respect for the mighty little machines at the town's 7th triennial muster.

The muster attracts Ferguson tractor enthusiasts from as far as Victoria and Queensland to celebrate the historic piece of rural machinery.

It all started when Mr Doak, now the vice-chairman of the Grey Fergie Tractor Committee, threw a birthday party for his Fergie when it turned 50 in 2003.

Fellow resident Lee Martin suggested they invite the rest of Australia, and the muster was born. The town even held the record for the most number of Fergies in one place in 2003.

"There's a lot of work that goes into it, contacting Ferguson owners from all around the country," Mr Doak said.

"Hopefully at this stage with the floods in Queensland we've still got a lot coming from the Toowoomba area.

"We have a lot come from the coast, there's one group of ten who drive up from Coffs Harbour on their tractors and there's another group of four driving up from Wingham."

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The journey takes three to four days, complete with escort vehicles with caravans hooked up so they can set up camp in Bendemeer.

The three-day event is embraced by the whole community, and attracts around 300 tractors, drivers with their crews, participants and machinery.

"We hope to get 1000 people through the gates Saturday and Sunday," Mr Doak said.

"The last two years we've also had Land Rovers, because they were made as a farm vehicle the same year as the Fergies and in the same town, so they sort of go hand in hand."

New to this year's event is the first display of a fully restored 1914 Marshall & Sons Steam Engine.

"People love steam engines, it's a real fascination for them," Mr Doak said.

There will be free face painting for the kids, blacksmith demonstrations, a vintage chainsaw display, food stalls and a variety of other stalls.

Entry is $5, with all money going towards the proactive Grey Fergie Tractor Muster Committee, who when they aren't restoring machinery are renovating facilities at the sports grounds, buying new history books for the town, lobbying council for more park benches or, more recently, raising money for a new Josh Hazlewood sign.

The muster will be held at the Bendemeer Sports Complex from March 18 to 20.

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