36 tractors and counting

SOME people collect stamps, others collect coins. Merv Hill collects tractors.

"I used to take lunch out to my brother when he was doing some ploughing work and one day he said, 'Would you like to do this?' and I said, 'Yeah,' and that's where it sort of started," Merv said.

Merv was in his element last weekend when he had 36 tractors on display at the Queensland Heritage Rally in Biloela on the weekend.

"It's a pretty big job."

But how does one man come to have almost 40 tractors?

"I have never played a sport of any kind and I was getting pretty wound up in the business and needed an outlet."

That outlet has now led to needing six sheds and a very busy time when it comes to the national tractor trek and Queensland Heritage Rally.

Merv said there was a lot more to it than just collecting the tractors.

Sometimes he will buy two or three the same in order to get the right parts to do one up.

"To get one that's a bit rare is exciting."

Merv's pride and joy is his 50D David Brown, which is one of only 1200 ever built.

But picking a tractor to take on the trek is simple.

"The one with the best seat, I guess," he laughed.