Historical information

The water cart was in itself a complete invention of John Furphy and was first made in the 1880's. At the time no similar article was used in Australia. Few houses of the time were designed to collect rain water from the roof and hence, water needed to be collected elsewhere and transported for stock and domestic use. The method of carting water was then confined to horse drawn drays or sleds with mounted wooden barrels or casks. At the same time the growing demand for agricultural implements, led to the establishment of a foundry with a furnace to cast components rather than the time consuming task of forging. This became the catalyst for the efficient production of the robust and mobile water carrier known then, and now, as the Furphy Farm Water Cart.

Physical description

Four colour photographs showing a tank made by Furphy and Sons, Shepparton.