Historical information

1. Scythe - Agricultural hand-tool for mowing grass or harvesting crops.Horse drawn machinery and tractors replaced the scythe. The scythe with the metal rod may have been fitted later, replacing a wooden rod.
2. Fern Hook - Used for slashing or reaping plants
3. Long handled sickle - A traditional single handed agricultural tool with a curved metal blade and handle. Used for harvesting.
4. Mattock - Heavy duty hand tool featuring a long handle and a stout dual-headed metal blade used in many ways eg. digging
5. Pitch Fork - An agricultural tool used to pitch loose material such as hay or leaves.
6. Pick Axe - A tool used to break and pry at the pointed end and the axe end for hoeing, skimming and chopping through roots.

Significance

Douglas used these tools 70-80 years ago (1950s) mainly on his family's farm at Dandongadale near Buffalo River for harvesting as well as clearing land. Some may have been used on a family property at Whorouly as well and at the Dederang family properties from 1964. At Dederang the family had a tobacco farm and a dairy farm - (now 4 properties). Douglas Petzke had a soldier settlement farm in Dederang. Property was 'Woodside' about 1 km south east of the Dederang store. Douglad had 100 acres on each of the top and bottom sides. The bottom side was the dairy farm and the top side was beside House Creek. The farm totalled more than 200 acres. Douglas left Dederang c 2000 and now (2026) lives at Baranduda.

Physical description

1. Scythes x2 - Long wooden and one is metal curved rod with offset handles and a curved 600 mm long steel blade projecting from one end
2. Fern Hooks x2 - Wooden handle with curved steel blade attached at one end
3. Long-handled Sickles x2 - Both have wooden handles one of which is made from a branch of a 'tree' hence the curve. The blade is curved metal
4. Mattock - A long wooden handle with a dual-headed metal blade
5. Pitch Fork - A long wooden handle with three curved metal prongs attached at one end
6. Pick Axe - A wooden handle with a T-shaped metal attachment fixed perpendicularly to one end. The metal has a pointed end on one side of its head and a broad flat blade on the other side.

Inscriptions & markings

Fern Hook - "116-319 1250 forge steel"
Mattock - "783 4 1/2 (half) lbs" "oomatty". On the other side "LTD" and "AM"