Henty Machinery Field Days event returns to regular time slot in 2022

Returning after two years of cancellations, Henty Machinery Field Days 2022 is scheduled for Tuesday to Thursday 20 to 22 September

Henty Machinery Field Days is to a mixed farming event. Located in the heart of the nation’s food bowl in southern NSW, Henty Machinery Field Days is an agribusiness supermarket attracting more than 60,000 visitors each year. 

Henty Machinery Field Days is an agricultural event, showcasing the latest in machinery and farm equipment, outdoors and camping products, farm produce, agronomy, country lifestyle, government and health services, agribusiness and finance services. 

The not-for-profit event is farmer driven and run by a board of seven co-operative members, all from southern NSW and involved with agriculture, and are supported by 90-plus members of the field days co-operative. Henty Machinery Field Days celebrated 50 years in 2013 after being founded as a one-day header school at the Henty showground in 1963.

The 2022 Henty Machinery Field Days returns after two years of cancellations. Organisers expect to replicate the 2019 Henty Machinery Field Days which featured more than 1200 sites and over 800 exhibitors on the permanent 105ha site.

Calendar of events

• Official opening of the Henty Machinery Field Days will be at 11am at The Stump on Tuesday, September 20. Mrs Joy Beams, CWA of NSW President, will open the field days, in recognition of 100 years of CWA. Also speaking at the official opening will be Mrs Lesley Prior, UK superfine woolgrower and Councillor on The Campaign for Wool established by HRH The Prince of Wales.
• The exhibitor awards will be presented at The Stump on Wednesday, September 21 at 10.30am by HMFD CEO Belinda Anderson. Awards will be presented for the Best Outdoor Large Commercial, Best Outdoor General and Best Indoor Exhibitor sites (Country Lifestyle and Farm Gate pavilions).
• The Greater Hume Council Award for the best Australian designed and manufactured machine will be presented at 1.30pm at The Stump on Thursday, September 22.
• Minister for Regional Development and Territories Hon. Kristy McBain MP will be accompanied by Regional Development Australia Murray chief executive officer and director of regional development Edwina Hayes at 11am on Tuesday to launch the RDA Murray Strategic Regional Plan at the Greater Hume Council site. At noon Ms McBain will visit the Landcare shed to talk to landholders and Landcare coordinators; at 1pm visit Local Land Services shed at site 311 to discuss land management, biosecurity, emergency management and primary production; 2pm visit Southern NSW Drought Resilience and Innovation Hub to discuss research implementation, flourishing communities and sustainable environments in research and extension.
• The popular vintage display will be on again in the centre of the field day site with working demonstrations of an antique shearing plant and wool press. Contact person is Henty and District Antique Farm Machinery Club president Max Hogg. At 10am on Wednesday a ceremony will be held to mark the installation of a single furrow horse drawn plough (circa 1903-1906) on a pole. The plough was manufactured by Hugh Lennon and unveiled by his great granddaughter Mrs Faye Powell of Albury, and great-great grandson Geoff Powell.
• A trade delegation of 17 people from the Economic and Trade Section of the Embassy of the Argentine Republic will be attending on Tuesday and Thursday to evaluate potential trade opportunities with Australia. Daniel Costamagna, Minister of Production, Science and Technology of the Province of Sante Fe will be a guest speaker on Thursday at the HMFD VIP luncheon.
• Country music stars Brooke McClymont and Adam Eckersley, supported by local singer songwriter and The Voice contestant Danny Phegan, will perform in a new free event on the Wednesday evening from 5.30pm on an outdoor stage behind the Farm Gate Produce Market pavilion. The free entertainment has been made possible by a grant submitted by Greater Hume Council to the NSW Government for the Reconnecting Regional NSW – Community Events Program.
• Children’s character George the Farmer will star in performances each day at 11am and 2pm at the Hutcheon & Pearce site Block M 489-498. Creators Simone Kain and Ben Hood.
• The crowd-pleasing Henty Working Dog Trials are on again with over 200 entries. Maiden and novice classes are Tuesday, novice and open on Wednesday and the finals on Thursday from 1pm. Please be aware, the presentations to the winners of the Sheep and Yard Dog trials are usually between 2pm and 2.30pm Thursday.
• The Henty Machine of the Year entrants will be judged by a panel of regional growers on Monday and the award presented on Tuesday at the official opening.
• The demonstration agronomy site is under the control of Baker Seed Co. Grain growers will be able to inspect 22 cereal varieties.
• The NSW Farmers Association President Xavier Martin will attend the field days on Wednesday and speak at The Stump at 1.30pm.
• The Henty Natural Fibre Awards winners will be announced between 1.30pm and 2pm on Thursday with models wearing the winning outfits.
• Charles Sturt University will be hosting the “Innovation Hub” at this year’s Henty Machinery Field Days with scheduled presentations about the latest research. Site 564-565 Block N.

Program highlights

• Tuesday – 10am Cindy Cassidy, Southern NSW Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub; 12pm-12.30pm: Barley grass seed contamination in sheep: Options associated with early integrated weed management – Jane Kelly, CSU; 2.30pm-3pm: Food Agility Cool Soil Initiative, a project through the Gulbali Institute – Cassandra Schefe and Jonathan Medway, Gulbali Institute

Wednesday – 10.30am Skye Wassens, what can frogs and reptiles tell us about wetland health and farm biodiversity; 11.30am Jane Quinn, How can efficient feeders improve on-farm productivity? 1.30pm Jeff McCormick, transforming cattle production on farm with dual purpose crops.

• Thursday –10.30am Shawn McGrath, better productivity and profitability, sheep nutrition, management and reproduction; 11.30am Dr Martin Coombs, Effective diagnosis, treatment and protection of dogs from grass seeds; 1.30pm John Broster, Project herbicide resistance.
• Six of the top 12 most venomous snakes on the planet will feature in the Reptile Kingdom Australia at Henty. Reptile specialist Luke Cheyne will have the top six, lizards and crocodiles for the 20-minute shows held from 9am to 4pm each day near The Stump.
• Best-selling author Fiona McArthur will debut her new book The Opal Miner’s Daughter at the Henty Machinery Field Days. She will speak in Country Lifestyle on Tuesday at 12pm, 11.35am on Wednesday, and 12.05pm on Thursday.
• Country Lifestyle will present a fashion parade across the decades each day at 11am to celebrate 100 years of the Country Women’s Association in NSW.
• There will be a continuous program of demonstrations at Farm Gate Market produce pavilion. Tuesday-Thursday is Grunt Pork (homegrown smallgoods) at 10am, Flyfaire Wines (flour made from merlot grapes) at 11am, Little Triffids (micro flower farm) at 12pm, Wolki Farm (enterprise stacking/paddock to plate) at 1pm, Cofield Wines (sparkling wines masterclass) at 2pm, Q&A with Jake Wolki at 2.45pm (sustainable farming).
• Home grown circus star Marcela Scheuner will be performing each day at Country Lifestyle and Farm Gate. Marcela grew up in Henty, is a circus coach based in Adelaide. As a cast member of the show Cirque Nocturne, Marcela Marcela was co-founder and creator of the show BOSS SQUAD, where Adelaide’s Point and Flex Circus and Albury-Wodonga Wildhouse Circus joined forces to create one epic, all female, inspiring, powerful and high intensity acrobatic production.
• GRDC and NSW DPI will hold a brunch seminar on Thursday at 10am to give local growers the opportunity to listen to seasonally relevant updates from researchers on things like input management, disease risk and varietal information to help them make more informed management decisions on farm. Northern Regional Panel members will also join the Henty brunch to talk with growers about local opportunities and constraints to ensure GRDC’s research, development and extension is aligning with grower feedback.
• Clayton Wood, Business Edge Advisors, will be giving Ted X style talks at Block I site 350 at 9.30am each day sharing some key mindsets on helping you to better prioritise your time.
• There will be an ATM on site courtesy of major sponsor ANZ Bank. It is located at the ANZ Bank site.

HMFD Ticket prices for 2022

Henty Machinery Field Days are scheduled for Tuesday to Thursday 20 to 22 September.

• Gates open to the public daily from 8.00am to 5pm
• Tickets will be sold online and at the gate
• Contactless purchases preferred

Online Tickets:

• Adults – $22 + booking fees 
• Children – 12-17 years old – $7 + booking fees
• Children – Under 12 years old – Free when accompanied by an adult

Tickets purchased at the gate:

• Adults – $25 
• Children – $10 for 12-17 years old 
• Children – Free for under 12 years old when accompanied by an adult

Important information below to make your visit enjoyable.

Dogs – Dogs are not permitted on site.  Working dogs which are competing, dogs as part of an exhibitor’s display and guide or companion dogs are excepted. Henty Machinery Field Day’s setting on the Buckingingah Creek offers a location with a great atmosphere and an easily navigated layout.

Mobility Scooters – Show Mobility will be on sites 52 & 53 at the West Gate. Phone 0423168955 to book or go to www.showlockers.com.au 

EFTPOS is available at the general admission gates.  ATM’s will be on site in locations to be advised. The on site bank is located at site 547 on Main Road.

Major regional air services, with connections to all capital cities, and rental vehicles are located at Albury-Wodonga and Wagga Wagga.

Private aircraft can be landed at the Holbrook Airpark. Landing sites are also available at Wagga Wagga and Albury-Wodonga airports.  Transport to and from the field days must be organised by yourself.

Wagga Air Centre will be operating helicopter joy flights from the old field days airstrip throughout the three days of the field days.

A free shuttle bus operates around the field day site stopping at eight designated points.  You may also stop the bus as it passes.

A Parcel Pick-up Service is provided by Henty Park Tennis Club and St Josephs Primary School, Culcairn from the Booking Office (located on the corner of Main Road and 7th Farm Ave) for collection at the western and eastern public car parks.

Takeaway food is available from the seven community outlets throughout the site. The funds raised from these sites provide valuable assistance for rural community groups in the Henty, Culcairn, Walbundrie, Pleasant Hills and Holbrook regions. There are other food options from commercial vendors adjacent to the Farm Gate Produce Area and the Sheep Dog Trials.