{{Short description|Brand of Australian garden tools}} {{for|the cinema in South Australia|Victa Cinema}} {{Other uses}} {{use dmy dates|date=April 2024}} [[File:Victa AB PRIMARY RGB.jpg|thumb]] [[File:Victa Mower 3.jpg|thumb|A Victa lawn mower]] '''Victa''' is an Australian manufacturer of outdoor garden equipment, including petrol, electric, and battery-powered [[lawn mower]]s, [[edger]]s, [[String trimmer|trimmer]]s, and [[chainsaw]]s. The brand is best known as a manufacturer of rotary lawn mowers. In the early 1960s the company also built [[light aircraft]], notably the [[Victa Airtourer]], and project homes.
From 2008 to 2025, the Victa brand was owned by the American engine manufacturer [[Briggs & Stratton]]. In 2025, ownership returned to Australia with the Queensland based company Roy Gripske & Sons<ref>https://www.victa.com.au/about-victa</ref>. In Australia and New Zealand, Victa products are sold through major hardware chains and specialist dealers, and some products are available through dealers in other countries.
== History == The Victa company was founded by [[Mervyn Victor Richardson]]<ref name=adb>{{Citation|last=Wood|first=Richard V.|title=Richardson, Mervyn Victor (1893–1972)|url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/richardson-mervyn-victor-11517|work=Australian Dictionary of Biography|place=Canberra|publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University|language=en|access-date=2021-12-30}}</ref> in 1952.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.murrayvalleystandard.com.au/story/2802321/victa-mowers-a-cut-above/|title=Victa mows through the ages|website= Murray Valley Standard| date= 12 Jan 2015| first=Marina |last=Williams| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512054559/https://www.murrayvalleystandard.com.au/story/2802321/victa-mowers-a-cut-above/| archive-date= 12 May 2021}}</ref> The name was derived from his middle name.<ref name=pon>{{cite journal|date= October 27 - November 2, 2019| issue=426 | title= Collecting Lawnmowers: The Victa Mowers Story With A Careel Bay Link| website=Pittwater Online News | url=https://www.pittwateronlinenews.com/The-Victa-Lawnmowers-Story-With-A-Careel-Bay-Link.php | access-date=29 April 2024}}</ref>
===Lawn mowers=== [[File:Victa Rotomo Mk 1 (1953-54).jpg|thumb|right|100px|An early Victa lawn mower]] Mervyn's son Garry mowed lawns to earn money in university holidays. Garry borrowed Mervyn's Victa 14" cylinder-based power mower which was heavy to transport and to operate. Mervyn wanted to design a new mower for his son's business. Mervyn had seen Lawrence Hall's "Mowhall" rotary lawn mower demonstrated in 1948. The heavy Mowhall was not a very successful invention because it required two people to use it, one to push and one to pull.{{cn|date=April 2024}}
The Victa rotary lawn mower was developed in August 1952 by Richardson, in his backyard at [[Concord, New South Wales]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Victa About Us|url=http://www.victa.com/au/about-us/|publisher=Briggs & Stratton Australia Pty Ltd.}}</ref> Although not the first of its type, it was cheaper, lighter, and easier to use than earlier models.<ref name=maas/>
Although Richardson had developed rotating reel mowers for his son's business, in August 1952 he decided to make a rotary lawn mower similar to the Mowhall, using a [[Villiers Engineering|Villiers]] two-stroke engine mounted on its side but utilising a lighter base plate, allowing use by a single operator. He wanted it to be cheaper, lighter and more powerful. It was called the "Peach-Tin Prototype", so named because it was made out of scrap metal with a peach tin used as a fuel tank.{{cn|date=April 2024}}
Initially selling the mowers from his home,<ref name=maas/> by 1953, demand for the mowers was so strong that Richardson gave up his job and became full-time manager of his new company, Victa Mowers Pty Ltd.<ref name=adb/>
By 2002, 6.5 million Victa mowers had been sold in 30 countries.<ref name=maas>{{cite web | title=Victa Lawnmower Collection | website=Museum Metadata Exchange | date=23 January 2018 | url=http://museumex.maas.museum/oai/phm/2257.html | access-date=29 April 2024}}</ref>
===1960s diversification=== In the early 1960s, the firm diversified into other industries: it manufactured the "red phone" (a private payphone system, for use in business premises), aircraft, and, for a short while, Victa project homes.<ref name=pon/>
In 1960, Victa Consolidated Industries, later renamed Victa Ltd, undertook to build 50 [[Victa Airtourer]]s, a light monoplane designed by Henry Millicer, under Mervyn Victor Richardson, who had an interest in aeroplanes.<ref>{{cite web | title=Victa | website=All the World's Aircraft | url=https://janes.migavia.com/au/victa.html | access-date=29 April 2024}}</ref> The company set up an Aviation Division at their Milperra base, and also produced the [[Victa Aircruiser]] and Victa [[Gyroplane]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Item TL 40953: Descriptive Booklet - Victa Aviation Division, circa 1965 |format= 25 images | website=[[Museums Victoria]] Collections | date=23 June 1981 | url=https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/1451612 | access-date=29 April 2024}}</ref> Victa built 168 of the aircraft in Sydney before selling off the division to New Zealand company [[AESL]] in 1966.<ref >{{cite web | title=The aeroplane | website=Airtourer Association Inc. | date=12 December 1961 | url=https://www.airtourer.asn.au/index.php/the-aeroplane/history-of-the-airtourer.html | access-date=29 April 2024}}</ref> The Airtourer proved very popular, boosted by Victa's purchase plan whereby owners could pay off the cost in instalments.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article141982189 |title=Building a plane the Victa way |newspaper=[[Western Herald (Bourke)]] |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=9 October 1964 |access-date=29 April 2024 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}} </ref>
Although certification was obtained, the Aircruiser was never put into production by Victa, as they withdrew that arm of their operations in 1966-7 after the government would not grant them a financial advantage to protect the local industry over imported aeroplanes.<ref>{{cite web | title=Brumby Aircraft to Build Aircruisers | website=Australian Flying | date=10 September 1966 | url=https://www.australianflying.com.au/news/brumby-aircraft-to-build-aircruisers | access-date=29 April 2024}}</ref> The same fate befell the [[Victa R-2]], a prototype single-engine four-seat [[light aircraft]]. Only one was built, which first flew in February 1961, but no production followed.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Brogden |first=Stanley |title=Australian Light Aircraft: Newcomers Enter the Club and Agricultural Markets |magazine=[[Flight International|Flight]] |date=12 August 1960 |volume=78 |issue=2683 |pages=234–235 |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1960/1960%20-%201328.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101213049/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1960/1960%20-%201328.html| archive-date= 1 November 2016}}</ref>
In the 1960s, Victa produced a range of project homes in Australia.<ref>{{ cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/midcentarc/4437861143 | title=Victa Homes - Richmond | date=1960 | accessdate=2022-01-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/midcentarc/4438637238 | title=Victa Homes - Pasadena | date=1963 | accessdate=2022-01-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Victa Homes | website=Flickr | date=29 April 2024 | url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/midcentarc/4438637018/ | access-date=29 April 2024}}</ref>
== Company == In 1953 Richardson gave up his job and became full-time manager of Victa Mowers Pty Ltd. In 1958, the company had moved to a new factory at [[Milperra, New South Wales]], and its 3,000 employees were building 143,000 mowers a year for export to 28 countries.<ref name=adb/>
From the outset, the company used marketing and advertising effectively. It was a pioneer in Australian TV advertising, and also advertised extensively in newspaper and print media. Victa set up a network of distributors, who were thoroughly trained in promotion and sales.<ref name=maas/>
In the 1960s, Mervyn's son Garry Richardson started playing a more important role in the company, becoming chairman in 1965.<ref name=pon/>
In 1970 Victa was acquired by [[Sunbeam Australia|Sunbeam Corporation Ltd.]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/14541184 |title=Sunbeam makes cash bid for Victa |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]]|access-date = 10 February 2019 |date=26 February 1970}}</ref><ref name=pon/>
In 1994 the factory moved to [[Campsie, New South Wales|Campsie]], and the seven millionth Victa lawnmower was built in 1997.<ref name=pon/>
In 1996, the company was sold to GUD Holdings Limited,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.delisted.com.au/company/sunbeam-victa-holdings-limited|title=Sunbeam Victa Holdings Limited SVH |website= DeListed Australia|accessdate=Oct 21, 2022}}</ref> who sold the Victa Lawn Care business to American-based [[Briggs & Stratton]] for [[Australian dollar|A$]]23 million in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23812300-662,00.html |title=Victa Lawncare mown down |work=Herald Sun |author=Alice Coster |date=June 5, 2008 |publisher=www.news.com.au |access-date=2009-07-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Aussie icon falls into American hands | website=Brisbane Times | date=4 June 2008 | url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/aussie-icon-falls-into-american-hands-20080604-gea0kw.html | access-date=29 April 2024}}</ref><ref name=pon/>
Victa returned to Australian ownership in 2025 when it was acquired by Roy Gripske & Sons.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Victa |url=https://www.victa.com.au/about-victa |access-date=2026-01-02 |website=Victa Australia |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |last=Walton |first=Leesa |last2=Sheehan |first2=Paul |title=Victa Returns to Australian Hands in Landmark Acquisition by Roy Gripske & Sons |url=https://www.victa.com/content/dam/victa/au/en_au/files/Victa_RGS_PR%20Release.pdf |access-date=2 January 2026}}</ref>
===Today=== While most design and manufacturing capability has remained in Australia, such as assembly, research and development, and parts manufacture, all engine products are sourced from Briggs & Stratton's Facilities in [[Milwaukee]], [[Wisconsin]].{{cn|date=April 2024}}
Outdoor garden equipment, including petrol, electric, and battery-powered [[lawn mower]]s, [[edger]]s, [[String trimmer|trimmer]]s, and [[chainsaw]]s are sold under the Victa brand.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.victa.com/au/about-us|title=About Us|website=www.victa.com|access-date=2016-10-04}}</ref>
Victa is also sold in limited quantities through specialist dealers internationally.<ref>{{cite web | title=International Dealers | website=Victa | url=https://www.victa.com/au/en_au/where-to-buy/international-dealers.html | access-date=29 April 2024}}</ref>
==Legacy== The Victa Lawnmower regarded by many as an Australian icon, and it was included in the [[Sydney 2000 Olympic Games|opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games]].<ref name=pon/> A retro advertisement for Victa is on permanent display at [[Museum railway station|Museum Railway Station]] in Sydney.<ref>{{cite web |title=Museum Station |url=https://www.gml.com.au/projects/museum-station/ |website=GML Heritage |access-date=28 May 2024}}</ref>
The Richardson radial aero-engine, the Victa prototype lawnmower (1952),<ref name=pon/> the Victa Peach Tin prototype, and other important Victa lawn mowers were donated to the [[Powerhouse Museum]] in Sydney.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/australia_innovates/?behaviour=view_article&Section_id=1040&article_id=10057 |title=Archived copy |access-date=24 October 2016 |archive-date=20 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820104759/http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/australia_innovates/?behaviour=view_article&Section_id=1040&article_id=10057 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Powerhouse held an exhibition entitled ''Victa – 70 years turning grass into lawns'' in 2023.<ref>{{cite web | title=Victa – 70 years turning grass into lawns | website=Powerhouse Museum | date=22 March 2024 | url=https://powerhouse.com.au/program/victa#overview | access-date=29 April 2024}}</ref>
The archive of [[Philip Larkin]]'s work at [[University of Hull]] includes the blue Victa lawn mower involved in the incident that inspired his famous poem '[[The Mower]]'.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-05-11 |title=Larkin's lawnmower cuts it as a relic |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1393852/Larkins-lawnmower-cuts-it-as-a-relic.html |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="McDonald">McDonald, Guy (2004). ''Cadogan Guide: England,'' p. 836. New Holland Publishers, {{ISBN|978-1-86011-116-7}}</ref>
==See also== * [[City of Canada Bay Museum]]
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commonscatinline}} * {{Official|https://www.victa.com/au/en_au/home.html}} (Australian website) * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070701010128/http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/patents/ex_victa.shtml Victa Lawn Mower patent at IP Australia website] * [https://collectionsearch.nma.gov.au/icons/images/kaui2/index.html#/home?usr=CE Cartoon drawing of "First Victa Lawnmower and First Ear Muffs"] at the [[National Museum of Australia]]
{{Briggs & Stratton}} {{Commons category|Victa lawn mowers}}
[[Category:Manufacturing companies of Australia]] [[Category:Australian brands]] [[Category:Lawn mower manufacturers]] [[Category:Australian inventions]]