Howard tractors
were built and sold in Australia from 1922 until 1985. They are a part of Australia’s agricultural
heritage.
A.C. Howard (known as Cliff) was an Australian inventor
and pioneer. He first produced a
prototype rotavator in 1912 but elicited little interest from the wheat
farmers, who wanted a machine to pull it that would replace the heavy horses
then used. Howard built his first
tractor utilising an engine from America in 1921. Initially at Moss Vale, the company moved to
Northmead, Sydney where the A16 tractor was made. Followed by the D16, DH22 and the FWD22. Cliff Howard moved to England where he formed
the Rotary Hoe Cultivators of England.
Post War the factory produced “A” tractors, then the Kelpie “a tireless
little worker that does a man sized job”.
Ideal for the market gardener, poultry farmer and orchardist, with loads
of attachments including the dozer blade, tipping
trailer, disc harrows, tool bar, mouldboard plough and spray pack. Later models introduced the underbelly
slasher, spring tyne cultivator, rear grader blade and field roller. Other models followed.
The factory
closed in 1985. Anything that was left was written off and taken to the dump
including valuable literature, spare parts and information on the machines. Shane has collected and pieced together
information, manuals, advertisements and more.
