The Dowerin GWN Machinery Field Days
The biggest and most important showcase of agricultural machinery and associated equipment in Western Australia, with the distinction of also being the oldest field day in the State, the Dowerin GWN Machinery Field Day is now entering its 42nd year.
The community owned event is run by a board, under the trading name of Dowerin Events Management Incorporated, with three full time staff - a CEO, an Events Coordinator and a Coordinator Assistant, reporting monthly to the board.
During the event, more than 400 volunteer staff from communities throughout rural Western Australia, work for an hourly rate, paid to their pre-nominated charity, club, school, or association.
The History
The Dowerin Progress Association held a meeting on May 10th 1964, with the aim of trying to find ways of preventing Dowerin becoming a ghost town, (a not uncommon fate of Wheatbelt communities across Australia), and also raise funds to build a dam, in order to reticulate the town sports oval and tennis courts. One of those attending had just returned from visiting a field day in Orange (New South Wales) and suggested Dowerin hold a similar event.
Communication and distance had always been problems for wheat belt farmers and the idea of having a working machinery event, where they could compare rival equipment under identical conditions was very appealing and the idea was accepted. The inaugural field day was held on Friday 3rd September 1965, with some 20 exhibitors and 2,000 visitors, leading to calls for the field day to run for two days the following year. Accommodation was a concern, however the surrounding towns benefited, as people booked rooms in places such as Northam, Goomalling and Wongan Hills.
The original objectives of raising funds for a dam and grassed sports grounds were achieved very quickly and the event then assumed responsibility for loan repayments on the town swimming pool. At the same time, catering for the large numbers of visitors had become a problem and a catering committee was established.
A decision was taken to pay volunteer workers for their services, by way of a cheque to the local organisation of the volunteer's choice, eg: the local fire service, sporting club, school, or other association. It was and continues to be, a masterstroke in distributing much needed funds to deserving organisations across WA's wheatbelt.
The Dowerin Field Day event continued to expand, with permanent power being supplied to many sites in 1975 and the eventual building of an indoor basketball arena, which could be used for the Family Interest Display section during field days. By 1991, exhibitor numbers had risen to 503, with in excess of 34,000 visitors.
In 1992, the regional television broadcaster, Golden West Network (GWN) came onboard as the naming rights sponsor, a position they proudly retain to the present day. It had become an icon event, both for the farming community and the people of Perth.
In 1996, the event won the prestigious Significant Local Festivals and Events category of the West Australian Tourism Awards and proceeded to take out the same category in the national awards. The event won again in 1997 and 1998 and was then rewarded with a permanent place in the West Australian Tourism Hall of Fame.
From a humble suggestion for raising funds to water a tennis court, the Dowerin GWN Machinery Field Days had become the biggest rural event in Western Australia, a "must attend" showcase for people from all walks of life.
Past Awards
1981
Although the Dowerin Field Days event had received several certificates of appreciation from local government bodies, such as the Shire of Dowerin, the first official State recognition of the importance of the event, was awarded in 1981, when the field days received a prestigious Golden Swan Award. Presented by the Western Australian week Council, the award was given for: "Success in Developing an Entire Community Involvement."
1995
The event received its first West Australian Tourism Award in the "Significant Local Festivals and Special Events" Category.
The event then went on to win the national Australian Tourism Awards section for "Significant Local Festivals and Special Events".
1996
The event won the "Significant Local Festivals" category for the second time.
1997
Third time lucky as well!
1998
The Dowerin GWN Machinery Field Days event was inducted into the West Australian Tourism Awards Hall of Fame, recognising the board's commitment to excellence over the years.
The Present
The town of Dowerin, (settled 1897), lies approximately 165 kilometres north east of Perth, in the heart of the central wheatbelt. Farming methods have changed dramatically in the last 40 years and the combination of bigger machinery, plus the amalgamation of smaller farms into larger properties, has seen populations dwindle. It is now commonplace to sit in a tractor and watch it steer itself by GPS. John Deere have just released a tractor in the USA, with no cabin or provision for a human operator. One machine now does the work of three tractors and three operators - in half the time. The net effect to Dowerin, is that while the local volunteer base has dropped, volunteers now come from rural communities across Western Australia, all benefiting from the three day event.
People often think of farmers as being small business people, nothing could be further from the truth. Farms these days involve million dollar plus land values and often, machinery purchases exceed $500,000 AUS. Big, sophisticated business by any measure and time is a precious commodity, which is why the annual event continues to be a vital part of the farming calendar - a unique opportunity to see and acquire information on machinery, production methods and associated farming lifestyle products in one arena.
There is a strong social element to the field days, a chance for farmers and their families to catch up with neighbours from far and wide, while the event also serves as a way for exhibitors to give something back to their customers and the wider community.
The Future
As broadacre farming evolves and other influences make themselves felt, the Dowerin GWN Machinery Field Days continue a natural evolution. Technology is an essential part of broadacre farming, with the use of computers and satellite beamed information and these days, computer displays share space with farm machinery. Lifestyle farms are moving closer to centres such as Dowerin, it's possible to run many consultant type businesses from rural areas and already the sea change lifestyle has seen smaller tractors dominant farm machinery sales across Australia (2005).
Viticulture and olive tree farming have reached the wheatbelt, as has the production of trees, such as Blue Gums and Paulowina.
The Dowerin GWN Machinery Field Days will continue to encourage exhibitors to meet the trends, expectations and needs of the many diverse groups who rely on the annual event for information on the very latest developments in machinery, computers, finance, cropping and even information on schools and fashion.
The board is now investigating various proposals for a hotel / motel training complex, which will be used for the launch of new equipment and machinery, further cementing Dowerin's position as the pre-eminent centre of excellence for machinery.