​Winnowers were used in the late 1800s and early 1900s to separate the wheat from the chaff.  Australian company J.S. Bagshaw is said to have constructed the first winnower in Australia in its factory in South Australia around 1838.  A separate machine called a stripper would cut and thresh the grain, following which it would be dumped into piles ready to go into the winnower.  Some years later these two machines would be combined into what became known as a “combine harvester” or more recently a header. 
Terry Page from Pingelly, explains that “it took 4 men and a horse to harvest, clean and bag a few tonnes of grain per day.  Modern headers and one man can now harvest and clean 200 to 300 tonnes per day.  The grain cleaning process is still performed with the same idea used in a winnower, of a fan and a set of riddles.”    
Terry Page has a passion for historic agricultural machinery and has travelled the country visiting agricultural machinery museums.  He was particularly impressed with the one in Balaklava, South Australia.  Whilst at this museum he took photos of a Bagshaw Winnower which would later help him immensely with his own restoration project.
After deciding that he wanted a restoration project to keep him busy, he headed off with some mates on a long trip to Walkaway to collect a winnower from someone who had responded to a wanted advertisement.  When he got there, he discovered that all the timbers were rotten and many pieces were missing.  Not deterred, the men very carefully hoisted the machine onto a trailer, strapped it down and headed home.  Such was the dilapidated state of the machine that they had to stop several times on the trip home to tie down the machine, as it compressed during the trip making the straps loose.  Once home they discovered two handfuls of nuts and bolts had also made their way out of the machine onto the bottom of the trailer.
He commenced the restoration project, soon realising that he would need to source replacements for the many missing parts.  He happened by chance to discuss his quandary one day with another local Pingelly man, Keith McBurney, who said “we’ve got a Bagshaw winnower at our place that you can have”.  This winnower was built in 1901 and had been in a shed for 80 years.  The shed had recently blown down, exposing the machine to the elements.  The country currency of a carton of beer was exchanged and Terry took himself home another winnower.
He started to remove the pieces from the second winnower to replace those missing on the first one.  However, he soon discovered that the second winnower was in far better condition than the first and hence proceeded to put the missing pieces back onto the second winnower.  Having been under cover for many years, very little of the wooden framework needed replacing on the second winnower and the screens were in good condition.  Terry said he “had to manufacture some new elevator cups out of tin as some of the old ones were completely rusted”.  He said the hardest part of the project was replacing the chain.  “The chain is very different to modern chain and had to be a specific size and I needed 100 links.  So I spent every spare moment looking in scrap heaps and going to clearing sales to try and find some”.  Another local man found a few links for Terry and at the end of the project he had one link spare.

The 2016 theme of the show is “All Things Aussie” with a special feature display of Holden Toranas in celebration of the upcoming 50 year anniversary of the commencement of manufacture in 1967.

Of course there will be a huge exhibition of other great Aussie made classic and vintage vehicles which will fire up for the grand parades. 

But we are not just a car show.  You will find everything from cars, trucks, tractors, motorcycles, military and agricultural machines, stationery engines and some quirky inventions.
 
Did you know that the Chamberlain Tractor was first manufactured right here in WA, in Welshpool, with the first one produced in 1949?  Pictured right is a line up of Chamberlains in the grand parade at our 2014 show

Horwood Bagshaw is said to be one of the oldest (if not the oldest) manufacturer of agricultural machinery and implements in Australia.  We are very proud to have on display at the show a beautifully restored Bagshaw winnower, pictured right.

Lose yourself in the wonder of yesteryear when you see the amazing displays of Aussie inventions and innovations throughout history in the WB Eva Pavilion.

Don't miss out on this getting along to this unique show.   There is lots of free entertainment for kids with the live Science shows and interactive displays by Scitech, bouncy entertainment, a balloon artist, animal nursery and a vintage photo booth.  Market stalls, and live music throughout the afternoon and into the night make this a great day out for all the family to enjoy.