Historic grader arrives back home
A Second World War-era grader will return home after a South Australian family donated the machine to Horsham Rural City Council.
The Malcolm Moore Road Master Grader, with Fordson tractor, was bought by Arapiles Shire, now part of Horsham Rural City Council, in 1942.
The council’s fleet co-ordinator Warren Kennedy said the Hunt family of Bordertown was the most recent owner.
“It was their father’s wish to donate the grader back to where it was purchased,” he said.
“It was the Arapiles Shire number-two grader until the mid-1950s and was auctioned off and purchased by the Farley family of Goroke, who eventually moved to South Australia. Then the Hunt family purchased it.”
Mr Kennedy said the grader was made in Port Melbourne by Malcolm Moore Engineering.
“Malcolm had a very interesting life that you can research on the internet. He had a lot to do with starting the Royal Flying Doctors and his uncle was head surgeon at Royal Melbourne Hospital,” he said.
“The grader was built during the Second World War years. Due to a lack of materials, labour and all focus being on the war effort, the grader was unconventionally built on top of a Fordson Major Tractor.”