Published on Friday, 31 July 2026 at 8:00:00 AM
A tractor travelling more than 2,000 kilometres across Western Australia has rolled into Kalgoorlie-Boulder, bringing with it a conversation about the future of renewable fuels and how regional industries could play a role in Australia’s energy transition.
Most people wouldn’t expect to see a tractor arriving in Kalgoorlie-Boulder as part of a statewide journey, but this week the city welcomed a very unique visitor - a Massey Ferguson tractor running on renewable fuel blends as part of a documentary project exploring the potential of alternative fuels.
The 11-day journey is taking the tractor and a three-person production crew from Perth through the Wheatbelt, Goldfields, South Coast and Great Southern regions, travelling more than 2,000 kilometres and documenting conversations with communities along the way.
Kalgoorlie-Boulder was a key stop on the route, with the team visiting some of the city’s most recognisable locations, including the Super Pit Lookout, Hannans North Tourist Mine and Curtin University, where they spoke with researchers and industry representatives about the role renewable fuels could play in regional Western Australia.
Project spokesperson and driver Jaiden Drought said the journey was about demonstrating that renewable fuel solutions can work with existing machinery and infrastructure.
“This tractor hasn’t been modified at all, and we can take an off-the-shelf solution and put biodiesel in it,” Jaiden said.
Throughout the journey, the tractor has been operating on different renewable fuel blends, including B20 biodiesel and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO100), to demonstrate how existing diesel-powered equipment could potentially use lower-emission fuel alternatives.
For industries that rely on heavy machinery, including agriculture, mining and transport, renewable fuels could provide another pathway towards reducing emissions while continuing to use much of the existing equipment and infrastructure already in place.
“Having a drop-in solution like this that can decarbonise their supply chain but is still very practical is important,” Jaiden said.
“The engine doesn’t need to change, the trucks, the pipes - none of that fuel infrastructure needs to change.”
The project is also highlighting the opportunity to strengthen local renewable fuel supply chains, including exploring how Australian-grown resources could contribute to future fuel production.
“Why not localise the supply chain?” Jaiden said.
While the journey has a strong focus on technology and innovation, it has also been an opportunity for the crew to experience the communities they are travelling through.
For the team, Kalgoorlie-Boulder offered a unique combination of history, industry and scale.
“I love the mix between the old historic buildings and the scale of the mine,” Jaiden said.
The Super Pit was a standout during the visit.
“You go to the Super Pit and see all those trucks and that, and it’s like, ‘Whoa, this is cool.’”
The Future Fuel journey continues through Norseman, Esperance, Ravensthorpe, Albany and Narrogin before returning to Perth in early August.
As the journey continues, it leaves behind more than kilometres travelled; it encourages conversations about innovation, regional industries and the opportunities that emerging technologies could create for communities like Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
Pictured (L-R): Biodiesel tractor journey crew members Peter Gatti, Jaiden Drought and Peter Young with the Massey Ferguson tractor.
Back to All News