Aussie Tractor group crosses Iowa on Cross-Country Trip

A small group of tractor enthusiasts in Australia have banded together to expand their recreational use of the Chamberlain Champion 9G Tractor.

The 9G Tractor was one of many models manufactured and produced between 1955 and 1966 by Chamberlain Industries in Western Australia

With a standard top speed of 45 klm/hour (30 mph), the 9G Tractor has become a very popular recreational vehicle. The Chamberlain 9G Tractor Club of WA has conducted several major treks throughout Australia, in most instances travelling around 10,000 klms and taking up to three months duration.

In August/September 2007, a 9G Tractor re-enacted the exploits of "Tail End Charlie", the nickname given to the Chamberlain Champion Tractor that participated in the 1957 Mobilgas Round Australia Rally as the 'sweep' vehicle.

The trip, which took 38 days, travelled around Australia and covered 15,000 klms. Specially prepared, the Tractor was capable of maintaining a speed of 75 klms/hour.

Transworld Tractor Treks was established to venture into other countries with the first trip being organized to tour around America in 2009.

"Having travelled across and around the Australian mainland for the past decade, it was decided to extend our travels to other countries," said a group spokesman. "Our first choice was obviously the United States of America, where we believe we will have an adventurous and exciting journey.

A total of five tractors were shipped in containers to Baltimore, Md. in mid-June, where they were unloaded and final preparation made to start the trip. Each tractor's respective crews also arrived in mid - to - late June to purchase their Travel Trailers, and the group left Baltimore on Saturday June 27.

They plan to spend the months of July, August and September travelling throughout the U.S.

Their trip took them through Iowa, where they, of course, visited the John Deere plant in Waterloo over the weekend. On Monday, they stopped in Clarion, where they visited a tractor museum. Some photos of that stop, taken from the group's web site, www.transworldtractortreks.com , are included in this article, along with a rough map of the group's itinerary.