OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums The History Forum Machine Histories THE SYDNEY MACHINES - c1911

Hello ODK History Lovers

In a previous post I discussed the first power mowers in Australia.
I said that it appeared that the first machine was bought privately and went to the
Royal Sydney Golf Club at some date prior to 1908. The first public machine was delivered
to the Adelaide City Council in mid to late 1908.

Here I would like to discuss my research into the next machines, bought, I believe,
by the Sydney public authorities. I was alerted to clues in an article titled,
"The Passing of the Horse" that appeared in The Sunday Times (Sydney) of February 25th,
1912 [full article as attachment below].

That lengthy feature article was not nostalgic at all. It pointed out not only
the benefits of the motor vehicle in terms of practicality, but also in the stark terms
of the accountant's bottom line - the motor was cheaper to run than the horse and cart.

The article also observed that the use of the engine extended well beyond transport,
private, and commercial vehicles: -

"The City Council and the Botanical Gardens authorities go further than wheeled motor vehicles,
for they have, in good working order, MOTOR GRASS MOWERS which are auto propelled."

Here is a picture of a Sydney City Council machine taken from that article:-



So, the 'smaller' machine was successfully being used in parks. Who manufactured it?
If this was the smaller machine, what was the 'larger' machine? Was it used at the
Royal Sydney Botanic Gardens? I set myself the task to answer these questions.

TO BE CONTINUED ...