Event: Wheels at Wanaka 2023

By: Craig McCauley, Photography by: Craig McCauley

Date: 11.05.2023

More than 50 machines lined up in the staging paddock, directly behind the earthmoving arena 3041 WAW2023 Machines DOW362

Porter’s Caterpillar 627 scraper was a new addition to the field this year. Paul Clarke’s D9G is pictured push-loading it. 5781 WAW2023 CatD9G 627 DOW362

J Swap’s Caterpillar 992B loader waits on Paul Clarke’s Caterpillar 769B truck to back in 5800 WAW2023 Cat992B 769B DOW362

Modem scrapers performed several displays over the three-day event. Central Machine Hire’s Caterpillar 627F shows its push-pull ability. 5829 WAW2023 Cat627E s DWO362

All action in the earthmoving pit 5856 WAW2023 ModenCat DOW362

TDX demonstrated a new Volvo EC550EL 50T class excavator 5858 WAW2023 VolvoEC550EL DOW362

Paul Clarke at the helm of his Caterpillar 16 grader tidying the road in front of the pit 5897 WAW2023 Cat16 DOW362

Founding show partner Central Machine Hire displayed a range of hire equipment 5908 WAW2023 CMH DOW2023

Russell Fifteen Motor Patrol grader 5962 WAW2023 Russell15 DOW362

Vic Draper at the controls of the recently restored W Stevenson & Sons Caterpillar DW20e scraper 6010 WAW2023 CatDW20 DOW362

Modern machines had more of a presence at this year’s event 6033 WAW2023 Cat730 982M DOW362

Oceania Gold’s Caterpillar 789D dwarfs the J Swap Caterpillar 992B loader as it exits the pit 6051 WAW2023 OGL789D 992B DOW362

Thomson Earthmoving’s Caterpillar D9T with a good blade full 6056 WAW2023 ThomsonD9T DOW362

Paul Clarke’s Terex TS14 being push-loaded by the 82-50 bulldozer 6074 WAW2023 TerexTS14 8250 DOW362

Among several new machines making their first debut at Wanaka were Porter’s Terex TS14 and Paul Clarke’s Terex 82-30, in the livery of former Dunedin contractor JC Mowat & Sons 6088 WAW2023 TerexTS14 8230 DOW362

All the way from Central Hawke’s Bay was this Terex TS8 twin-engine scraper. These machines were designed for the military to be carried in a C130 Hercules aircraft. 6097 WAW2023 HRSTS8 DOW362

J Swap Contractors recently restored a Caterpillar 992B wheel loader 6115 WAW2023 Cat992B DOW362

6120 WAW2021 Cat660Euclid8280 TC12 DOW362

A trio from the Clarke collection, a Caterpillar 660 motor scraper is push-loaded by the Terex 82-80 and Euclid TC12 bulldozers 6120 WAW2021 Cat660Euclid8280 TC12 DOW362

Oceania Gold’s Caterpillar 789D had a steady procession of people climbing onboard to check out the operator’s station 6135 WAW2023 OGLDisplay DOW362

A highlight for many seasoned machinery enthusiasts was the debut of Paul Clarke’s 84W series, 700hp, Caterpillar D10 6431 WAW2023 CatD10 WAW2023

Komatsu WA380 loading out topsoil 6463 WAW2023 CMHWA380 DOW362

More than 50 machines lined up in the staging paddock, directly behind the earthmoving arena

Porter’s Caterpillar 627 scraper was a new addition to the field this year. Paul Clarke’s D9G is pictured push-loading it.

J Swap’s Caterpillar 992B loader waits on Paul Clarke’s Caterpillar 769B truck to back in

Modem scrapers performed several displays over the three-day event. Central Machine Hire’s Caterpillar 627F shows its push-pull ability.

All action in the earthmoving pit

TDX demonstrated a new Volvo EC550EL 50T class excavator

Paul Clarke at the helm of his Caterpillar 16 grader tidying the road in front of the pit

Founding show partner Central Machine Hire displayed a range of hire equipment

Russell Fifteen Motor Patrol grader

Vic Draper at the controls of the recently restored W Stevenson & Sons Caterpillar DW20e scraper

Modern machines had more of a presence at this year’s event

Oceania Gold’s Caterpillar 789D dwarfs the J Swap Caterpillar 992B loader as it exits the pit

Thomson Earthmoving’s Caterpillar D9T with a good blade full

Paul Clarke’s Terex TS14 being push-loaded by the 82-50 bulldozer

Among several new machines making their first debut at Wanaka were Porter’s Terex TS14 and Paul Clarke’s Terex 82-30, in the livery of former Dunedin contractor JC Mowat & Sons

All the way from Central Hawke’s Bay was this Terex TS8 twin-engine scraper. These machines were designed for the military to be carried in a C130 Hercules aircraft.

J Swap Contractors recently restored a Caterpillar 992B wheel loader

A trio from the Clarke collection, a Caterpillar 660 motor scraper is push-loaded by the Terex 82-80 and Euclid TC12 bulldozers

Oceania Gold’s Caterpillar 789D had a steady procession of people climbing onboard to check out the operator’s station

A highlight for many seasoned machinery enthusiasts was the debut of Paul Clarke’s 84W series, 700hp, Caterpillar D10

Komatsu WA380 loading out topsoil

Organisers of Wheels at Wanaka 2023 report that more than 40,000 spectators visited the spectacular event over three days

Organisers of Wheels at Wanaka 2023 report that more than 40,000 spectators visited the spectacular event over the three days of Easter weekend, with Craig McCauley getting machine pics for Deals on Wheels.

‘What are they going to do next?’ was one comment that emerged from a spectator as Oceania Gold’s Caterpillar 789D haul truck entered the pit at the Terra Cat earthmoving practice day on Good Friday.

The earthmoving practice day is a precursor to the main Wheels at Wanaka event, which takes place bi-annually in the Central Otago town over Easter weekend, featuring almost everything with wheels or tracks.

‘100 years of the Scraper’ was a feature of the 2023 event – probably the best overall representation of that type of equipment to be seen anywhere in the western world, with a turnout from early horse-drawn machines to single engine, twin power, and multiple types of elevating scrapers.

Machines from as far afield as the Waikato were trucked to Wanaka, especially for the event, emphasising the huge following the popular show now attracts.

Find new and used machinery for sale in NZ

Keep up to date in the industry by signing up to Deals on Wheels' free newsletter or liking us on Facebook.