PHOTO: John with the Allis Chalmers, McCormick Deering 15-30 and Hart Parr tractors on his Narromine property.
Narromine’s Rotary Park looks and feels a little empty following the removal of several vintage agricultural machines that had occupied the park since the 1970s.
Dirt patches now dot the riverside park in the places where steam engines and tractors from the first half of the twentieth century once stood.
The machinery was removed at the request of Narromine Shire Council due to safety concerns and the potential risk of injury to visitors, according to a council spokesperson.
For Rotarian John Mann, 82, the removal of the machinery that he helped install with other members of the Narromine Rotary Club decades ago has tugged at his heartstrings as well his memories.
“[Our club was] devastated knowing how much work went into putting it all together and the enjoyment so many kids got out of [the historic machinery],” Mr Mann said, confirming that legal and insurance concerns were behind the request from the council to remove the equipment…