CARNAMAH'S big tractor project may be within $50,000 of the target funding it needs to build a five times larger than life steel replica of a Chamberlain Model 40K tractor.
An anonymous local project benefactor has donated $100,000, project committee chairman and local farmer Brendon Haeusler said on Tuesday.
It is the second anonymous private donation of $100,000 the Carnamah big tractor project has received within the past three months.
Since the committee was informed it had missed out on a hoped for $300,000 Federal Government grant.
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"It's a private donation from a Carnamah local who wants to remain anonymous at this stage," Mr Haeusler said of the latest donation.
"It's the second private donation of $100,000 we have received.
"Together with the revenue we expect from the raffle being run at the moment, that will put us within about $50,000 of what we need," he said.
As previously reported in Farm Weekly, the big tractor committee had sought a second quotation on having a giant - 11.5 metres high, 16m long and 8.5m wide - Chamberlain Model 40K replica built, which had reduced the estimated cost to about $550,000 from an original quotation of $800,000.
Proposed as a tourist attraction for Carnamah, the big tractor will also pay homage to the Chamberlain Model 40K, the first locally designed and built tractor produced in Western Australia, which helped clear and work much of the Wheatbelt after World War II.
A restored genuine Model 40K will be displayed alongside the big replica.
The restored model has the serial number 23, came off Chamberlain Industries Ltd's Welshpool production line in 1949 and was donated by Gnowangerup tractor, farm machinery and vintage car collector Dick Garnett from his private collection of some 25 Chamberlainsa.
Earmarked bythe Shire of Carnamah council for a high-profile position in the town, the big tractor replica and accompanying restored tractor will complement Carnamah's existing Hal Walton's Tractor Museum, which has 76 restored tractors and many more waiting to be restored.
Created by avid tractor collector and former local machinery dealer Hal Walton, it is regarded as the best Chamberlain and John Deere tractor display in Australia.
Mr Haeusler said the current raffle being run by the Vintage Tractor & Machinery Association of WA (Tracmach WA) to raise funds for the project, has been extended until March 5.
Tracmach hopes to sell 400 tickets at $100 each.
It had planned to draw the raffle prize winners on January 29.
As previously reported, first prize is a 52 kilowatt (70 horsepower) 1970s model Chamberlain C670 diesel tractor with front-end-loader bucket, all in working condition, valued at $8000.
Second and third prizes, both valued about $5000, are the ticket holders' choice of either two John Deere Model D tractors - John Deere's longest running model produced from 1923 to 1953 - with enough parts to complete one restored tractor or a 1936 Case L Model tractor.
Mr Haeusler's father Trevor had found the Case with a seized engine on a neighbour's property and got it running again.
For raffle tickets contact Tracmach State president John Piavanini on 0418 931 285, or Mr Haeusler on 0429 680 607.
Graingrowers still delivering to their local CBH Group receival site can also donate a truck load of their grain to the Carnamah big tractor project using CBH's LoadNet online transaction portal.
To donate grain, the CBH grower account number is 40561755 and name is Carnamah Historical Society.
