Field days committee member David Aitken, left, talks steam engines with Yarra Valley Machinery Preservation Society president Don Walker and member Bill Smart. 37491
By Kath Gannaway
PUT a few old steam engines together at a field day and before you know it, you have a discussion happening.
David Aitken is a founding member of both the Wandin Silvan Field Days and the Yarra Valley Machinery Preservation Society which has had a display at the Wandin Silvan Field Days for more than 20 years.
Historic farm machinery was introduced to the field days during the Bicentennial.
“I scared up a bit of stuff and everyone was so enthused that it became a feature,” Mr Aitken said.
“As well as people going to the field days to look at what was available it got to be a social event for local farmers,” he said.
Mr Aitken said it’s the nature of farming that you can live next door to someone but never have time to socialise.
“We found people would go along to talk with neighbours and the historic machinery side added to that because they could all remember using that sort of thing,” he said.
Mr Aitken was asked to organise that part of the field days and has been doing it ever since.
“It’s still a popular attraction. That’s why we have continued to have it between the two ovals. It has a way of getting people to transfer from one oval to the other,” he said.
Members of the machinery preservation society are always keen to show off the machines and, as always, field days visitors can expect a good display.
