General News
25 February, 2026
Rally returns to Cobden
SOUTH Western District Restoration Group will be hosting their 50th vintage rally in Cobden next weekend, marking a major milestone.
Opening at 10am on both Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8, the vintage rally is back for another year at 73 Grayland Street – this time featuring both steel wheel tractors and vintage lawn mowers and garden implements.
Last year the rally featured E27N Fordson tractors, with over 50 rocking up to the event for the occasion, but South Western District Restoration Group vice president Brian O’Shannessy said he was hoping the club’s 50th rally would turn out bigger and better than ever.
“This year we’ve got a rotary airplane engine which will be firing up for the first time at the rally as a display,” he said.
“All the sheds will be open, there will be quite a few steam engines on site and also some smaller scale model steam engines – we’ve got about four or five of them coming which will be a bit different as we haven’t had them other years.
“We’ll have all the usual stationary engines on display, vintage tractor pulls, model boats and all that sort of stuff.
“There’re about 30 sheds that will be open displaying collections and operating displays such as tools and equipment.”
Mr O’Shannessy said the club’s annual auction was also shaping up to be a big one.
“At 10am on the Saturday morning we have our annual auction which is an auction of stationary engines and collectible signs, tools – that sort of stuff,” he said.
“Usually there’s about 200-250 lots that will be up for auction.”
While the club is hosting its 50th vintage rally, the club doesn’t turn 50 until next year.
“The club started out at Lake Bookaar 49 years ago actually and it lost its home out there and we ended up down at Cobden in about 2010 or 2011,” Mr O’Shannessy said.
“Now we’ve consolidated a good grounds there and good facilities, plenty of parking, shade and that sort of stuff.
“We’ve still got members that formed the group originally who are still there.
“We’re having our 50th rally because one year we held two rallies, we had a special fundraiser for a family in the Camperdown district.
“That’s why we’re having our 50th rally now but we’re only 49 years old.”
Admission for adults is $15 and children under 16 enter for free.
There will be a bounty of vintage machinery and memorabilia on display beyond steam engines and tractors.
“We’ve got a mini bus that drives around the site so if you can’t walk long distances you can jump on the bus and have a look around and the bus will stop wherever you want it to so you can get off,” Mr O’Shannessy said.
“There will be all sorts of tractors on display, a lot of car clubs put their cars on display, vintage and 70s cars and there will be a few trucks there – a lot to see.
“We’ll have small hay baling demonstrations, two a day, and we’ve got the Black Powder Club coming and they’ll be doing a couple of firing demonstrations of small cannons and guns.
“That’s another attraction we haven’t had before either.
“It’s a pretty full day of entertainment.”
Any stallholders interested in hosting a spot at the rally should contact Mr O’Shannessy on 0408 529 408.