Paul Rice has spent the past decades assembling one of Victoria’s largest rabbit trap collections and taken time to develop the unusual craftmanship of converting traps into miniature farming icons.
Originally from Melbourne, Paul moved to Thornton for the rural life and soon found himself a taste for buying rabbit traps.
“I went to some sales and saw there were so many and so I started to collect them,” Paul said.
“Whether they were the ace of spades or whatever condition, I would find myself purchasing them.”
The downsizing Paul needs to make before moving back to Melbourne is due to a serious accident while having his driveway graded in which he found himself pinned down by the grader’s back wheel.
Paul now needs to be closer to hospitals in the city to treat his injuries.
The ‘toys’ made from the traps over the years include tractors, bulldozers, a ‘dozen or so’ motorbikes including a Harley Davidson and a Tiger Moth aeroplane.
There will be over a dozen metal art pieces and about 200 traps for sale.
“And if someone wants to buy them all, they can,” Paul said.
Among the 300 lots will also be a metal lathe, welders, a zero-pivot mower, trailers and a range of workshop equipment.
The auction will be held at Embling Rural, 54 Grant St, Alexandra from noon on Thursday, October 3, with inspections welcomed the previous day.
For further information, visit: www.emblingrural.com.au
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