Dowerin Machinery Field Days cornerstone event for Camillo family for more than four decades

Four generations of the Camillo family have religiously attended the Dowerin Machinery Field Days since migrating from Siciliy in the mid-1960s.

After settling on a Lower Chittering farm after arriving in WA, Neil Camillo’s grandparents started visiting the Field Days — and attending the event every year became a family tradition.

“The Field Days became an opportunity for them to explore new agricultural technologies, meet suppliers, and immerse themselves in the vibrant atmosphere of the show,” Neil said.

Neil said he vividly remembered travelling to the Field Days with his parents and two uncles, Charlie and Tony, in the family Ford Falcon XD Wagon for his first visit in 1992.

He said he took the day off school for the occasion, and remembered the sense of anticipation and adventure in the lead-up.

Since that initial Feld Days, Neil has made it a habit to attend every year — barring when he moved to Adelaide for three years, and interruptions that came with COVID-19, work and travel.

He said the years he was unable to attend the Field Days made him appreciate the family tradition and the memories created “even more”.

“We love it . . . we’re pretty simple people but it’s the highlight of our year, especially for us boys to get together and reflect on previous years,” Neil said.

The 2025 Dowerin Machinery Field Days marked a new milestone for the family as 12-year-old Noah Camillo ventured to the popular event with his family — marking four generations of family attendance.

Neil, Noah, and Neil’s father Con, 70, who all currently live in Perth’s north, trekked to the Wheatbelt for the first day of the Field Days.

Neil said he hoped Noah and his younger brother Tommy, who was yet to attend the Field Days, would continue the family tradition that had been passed down to them.

“It fills me with immense joy to reflect on my own experiences and look forward to passing this tradition on to the next generation,” he said.

Lunch is a highlight and a treasured aspect of the Camillos’ visits to the Field Days, when they gather in the carpark and set up a meal and a barbecue.

“We go back to the carpark and set up our lunch . . . and we sit around and everyone just stops and talks to us — that’s what’s so amazing.” Neil said.

“From our roots in Sicily to Lower Chitterring and now sharing these experiences with the next generations, the Dowerin Machinery Field Days have become far more than an agricultural show for us — it is a celebration of community, heritage, and the simple joys of spending time together as a family.”