Imagine a farm where cows graze alongside a treasure trove of over 200 vintage tractors—a living museum of agricultural history. This is the reality for Tony Forrest, a Victorian farmer in Ripplebrook, Gippsland, who’s now facing the bittersweet task of auctioning his late father’s extraordinary collection. But here’s where it gets emotional: these aren’t just machines; they’re a legacy of shared passion, decades of hunting, and a father-son bond forged in grease and gears.
Tony’s love affair with vintage machinery began in childhood. ‘Anything older than me,’ he recalls, ‘whether it was tractors, stationary engines, cars, trucks, or petrol bowsers—I was drawn to it.’ This fascination was amplified by his father, Tony Sr., whose own obsession with bulldozers led to a sprawling collection of over 150 by the 1980s. Together, the duo spent more than 40 years scouring Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia for tractors, building a collection that spanned brands like John Deere, Massey Ferguson, and Ford. And this is the part most people miss: Tony’s passion went global. ‘When I got serious, I started importing tractors from America, England, Belgium, Germany, Holland—you name it,’ he says.
But here’s where it gets controversial: is this a collection or an accumulation? Tony admits, ‘I’ve lost count of how many I have.’ Among the highlights are a rare 1954 Ferrari tractor—one of only 13 ever built—and a 1937 Vierzon, a French homage to the Lanz Bulldog. Yet, Tony prefers older models for their simplicity: ‘No computers, no tech headaches, just reliable engineering.’
After his father’s passing in 2018, Tony’s focus shifted to managing the family’s dairy farm, leaving less room—literally and emotionally—for the tractor collection. ‘We’ve only got 226 acres,’ he explains. ‘There’s no space for cows and all these tractors.’ But the real question is: should these machines rust away in storage, or should they be restored and enjoyed by others? Tony’s answer is clear: he’s auctioning off most of the collection, starting with a dozen tractors and planning a larger sale in May 2026. ‘It’s hard to let go,’ he admits. ‘Dad loved these tractors, and so do I. But you can’t keep them all.’
The international demand for these vintage beauties is strong. Tony recently shipped three tractors—a Lanz Bulldog, a Fordson P5 crawler, and a Mercedes-Benz 800—to the Netherlands, receiving other machines in return. Yet, some tractors remain untouched, tucked away in the shed, too sentimental to part with—at least for now.
So, here’s the question for you: Is letting go of a cherished collection an act of preservation or a loss of legacy? Share your thoughts in the comments—we’d love to hear your take on this heartfelt story of passion, heritage, and the passage of time.
