GWS Machinery was started in 1980 by the Greentree family of Freemans Reach who were running a 150 acre vegetable farm. The family was having trouble with the repair and replacement of its tractors, so they hired a mechanic to do the repair work.

When word got around all the farmers in the district began bringing their tractors to them for repair. In 1984 GWS Machinery was approached by Massey Ferguson to become a dealer in Massey Ferguson and Iseki tractors.