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Caterpillar tractor hauling trailers, 1914-17

Image Caterpillar tractor hauling trailers, 1914-17

TLF ID R3299

This is a black-and-white photograph made from a glass negative measuring 8.2 cm x 10.7 cm. It shows a stationary caterpillar tractor with two trailers attached behind, both of which have tarpaulin-covered loads. On the packet, the negative is described as: ''Holt' tractor hauling 2 trailers. Was used to transport wool from Killara Station to Bourke, New South Wales, before advent of motor transport. This unit operated between 1914 and 1917'.

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Educational details

Educational value
  • This asset shows a Holt tractor with its two trailers either coming from, or going to, Bourke, in far north-west New South Wales on the Darling River - Bourke provided a practical and profitable trading point for outlying regions and their populations.
  • It illustrates one of the ways Australian farmers and pastoralists transported wool and other produce without the use of draft animals - in Australia's dry interior, animals pulling heavy loads were reliant on water; petroleum was more efficient and could be stored onboard large vehicles on long journeys; a large fuel drum can be seen on the ground between the tractor and the trailer.
  • It shows a Holt Ruston Proctor caterpillar tractor - 443 were manufactured in Australia under licence from Holt, USA; most of these tractors went to Russia during the First World War.
  • It demonstrates a caterpillar-type track in use - these tracks were designed to spread the weight of heavy agricultural and engineering vehicles over a larger area to prevent the vehicle from sinking into the mud and they quickly filled a important niche in Australia; caterpillar tracks led to the invention of the modern military tank.
  • It shows the forerunner to the Caterpillar tractor - its inventor was Benjamin Holt, an American who developed one of the first practical caterpillar tracks for use in tractors; Holt formed the Holt Manufacturing Company in the early 20th century; Holt Manufacturing later merged with C M Best to form the Caterpillar Tractor Company.
  • It is an example of an item from the collection of photographs, negatives and postcards of photographer Arthur Laycock (1881-1960) - part of his collection is entitled 'collection of views of Bourke and region, New South Wales, ca 1910-1921'.
Topics Tractors Agricultural machinery Australian history Mazes

Other details

Contributors
  • Author
  • Person: Arthur Laycock
  • Description: Author
  • Contributor
  • Name: National Library of Australia
  • Organization: National Library of Australia
  • Description: Content provider
  • URL: http://www.nla.gov.au
  • Name: Education Services Australia
  • Organization: Education Services Australia
  • Description: Data manager
  • Person: Arthur Laycock
  • Description: Author
  • Copyright Holder
  • Name: National Library of Australia
  • Organization: National Library of Australia
  • Publisher
  • Name: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Organization: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Description: Publisher
  • Address: VIC, AUSTRALIA
  • URL: http://www.esa.edu.au
  • Resource metadata contributed by
  • Name: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Organisation: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Address: AUSTRALIA
  • URL: www.esa.edu.au
Access profile
  • Colour independence
  • Device independence
  • Hearing independence
Learning Resource Type
  • Image
Rights
  • © Education Services Australia Ltd and National Library of Australia, 2013, except where indicated under Acknowledgements