Summary

Black and white photograph of Wyeera Training Centre, circa 1966.

Massey Ferguson's Wyeera Education Centre was established in 1966, situated on a 250 acre property on Taylors Road, St Albans, Victoria, where staff and dealers involved in the firm's Australian and overseas operations were brought for training in the operation of tractors, industrial machinery and harvesting equipment produced by the company. The centre's name was taken from an Aboriginal word meaning 'to till' or 'dig the soil'. The facility was closed in 1978.

Part of a collection of photographs, moving film, artefacts, documents and trade literature relating to Massey Ferguson (Aust.) Ltd and its predecessors. The Australian operations of this company were originally founded by Hugh V. McKay, at Ballarat, in the late 1880s, and by 1895 was operating as the Sunshine Harvester Works. After relocating to Braybrook Junction (later renamed 'Sunshine') on the western outskirts of Melbourne, during 1904-1907, the business rapidly developed into the largest agricultural implement works in the southern hemisphere. In 1930, H.V. McKay merged with the Australian operations of the Canadian firm, Massey Harris Ltd, of Toronto, becoming H.V. McKay Massey Harris Pty Ltd. In 1955, this company was fully absorbed into the growing multinational corporation that became Massey Ferguson Ltd in 1958.

Description of Content

Five men at the Massey Ferguson 'Wyeera Educational Centre', St Albans, discussing agricultural equipment. The men on the left are: Bob Prowse (Assistant Branch Manager, Brisbane); Peter Boyd (with pipe) (Brisbane Branch Manager and Avon (?) Collins.

Physical Description

Black and white photograph

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