RealClassic UNSUAL ANTIPODEANS
Australia is not noted for manufacturing multitudes of home-grown motorcycles, although there have been a handful of small engineering companies which built lightweight bikes from mainly imported components. These included Acme, Tilbrook, Bennet and Barkel among others but, eventually, they all succumbed to high labour costs, declining sales and dwindling profits.
AfterWW2 the availability of mainstream British imports of more powerful and reliable machines improved. As BSA, AJS and Triumph bikes arrived, so local production died with scarcely a whimper. Yet there was one stand out, which survived for almost 40 years.Waratah.
The story behind the Waratah - its name taken from a flame-red native wildflower, which became the floral emblem of the state of New SouthWales – began some time before 1910. The Canada Cycle and Motor Agency, based in George Street, Sydney, began the manufacture of lightweight machines using German Fafnir and English VTS (Valveless Two Stroke) engines. Some economy models had no gearbox or
