HOWARD DH22 WITH “ROTAVATOR” – c. 1934

Arthur Clifford Howard designed the DH22 tractor in 1927 to specifically work with his successful rotary hoe, the “Howard Rotavator”. The DH22 was the first large-scale, mass-produced tractor made in Australia and followed numerous models of walk-behind rotary hoes and small garden tractors. By 1970 over 400,000 rotary hoes had been manufactured and supplied worldwide.

Cliff Howard envisaged the modern rotary hoe in 1912 at his family home in Gilgandra NSW. While the development ran into many hurdles, eventual success was forthcoming with exports to over 150 countries and 7 overseas factories. The Howard business in Australia was mostly centred on its factory at Northmead, NSW.

Cliff passed away in 1971 after receiving a CBE, a truly great, inventive Australian. His son was the Managing Director of Howard Rotavators Australia for many years.

WA Distributors (1947): Flower, Davies and Johnson Ltd, 413-417 Murray Street, Perth.   

Technical Specifications: 4-cylinder, 4-stroke engine running on petrol or kerosene. The engine developed 24 hp at the belt at 1,250rpm. Engine size was 3¾” bore with a 4¾” stroke. Magneto ignition was standard. Weight 4,500lbs.

History: This tractor was purchased by Hugh in 1985 after he heard on the “grape vine” that the owner, who lived on a small farm on the Coolup – Dwellingup Road, was planning to sell the tractor.

After a small amount of mechanical adjustment, the DH 22 Rotovator was found to be in good running order. The Rotovator was built as a complete unit and could not be used as a general farm tractor.