Lilydale tractor and machinery dealer Graham Shaw is the longest serving exhibitor at the WandinSilvan Field Days.By Kath Gannaway
GRAHAM Shaw says being part of his community attracts him every year to the WandinSilvan Field Days.
“It’s pure and simple,” he said. “If you live in an area, and I was born in Lilydale, and you’ve grown up with all these people, you go back each year, and because of that long association you see the same faces, grandfathers, fathers, sons.”
Mr Shaw, who owns the longestablished family business, Graham Shaw Tractors and Machinery in Mangans Road, Lilydale, has been in the industry for a staggering 55 years.
And he’s been to every WandinSilvan Field Days event since it began in 1953.
He puts its success down to the fact that it’s not too big and it’s well organised and well run over the two days.
“I would put it as a boutique field day that you can enjoy for a day where some of the bigger ones can get boring,” he says.
“A lot of people volunteer and put in their labour to make it work and it’s up to local people to support it.
“A lot of people also expect to make stacks of sales whereas I treat it as a public relations day where I get to talk to people and catch up,” he said.
Nonetheless, Mr Shaw said he gets good results from the Field Days with people coming in to look at machinery six to 12 months later, having made contact at the event.
Grant Storey is another farm machinery dealer and another longterm exhibitor with 15 years notched up so far.
Before merging to establish AgPower and Transport in Lilydale six years ago, Mr Storey and his partner in the business, Ian Wood, had operated similar businesses in the region for several years. The company now employs 24 people.
“I’ve been there for the last 15 years and we continue to go because our customer base is here in the valley and because it is such a great field day.
“We believe that by going out there and representing our customer base it shows our strength and that we’re there to service our customers’ needs.”
He also rates the ‘social’ aspect of the WandinSilvan Field Days as a big part of their success.
“We go out there to greet existing customers and customers who we’ve served over the years who are now retired and no longer involved but come along to have a bit of a chat and keep up with the current machinery.
“They may have no interest in buying but they were there over the years and basically put us in the position we are in today. It’s always great to catch up with them,” Mr Storey said.
“We’ll definitely be there again this year.”
And, of course, Graham Shaw will be there, maintaining his perfect attendance record.
“I wouldn’t miss a Wandin Silvan Field Day,” he told the Mail.
“I will go as long as I possibly can very possibly in a bloody wheelchair if I have to.”
