New wing a tribute to Holden designs
The Trafalgar Holden Museum has opened a new wing and exhibit with a special ceremony to commemorate the event.
Known as ‘Holden by Design’, the exhibit aims to show off the history of the General Motors-Holden design team in Melbourne and their various car designs since the 1940s. Originally based in Fishermans Bend, the group was responsible not just for Australian classic Holdens but contemporary concept vehicles as well.
The exhibition and the new wing were almost entirely funded by money generated by the museum, which is not-for-profit and run by a group of dedicated and passionate volunteers. First opened in 2014 and containing dozens of various Holden cars, the museum has found great success in its short time and will be experiencing even more growth in the future thanks to a $417,000 grant awarded to it earlier this year.
A number of locals attended the opening of the new exhibit to show their support, including Baw Baw Shire Councillor Peter Kostos and Liberal candidate for Narracan Wayne Farnham. Volunteers from the museum were also on hand, eager to share their knowledge about the cars present in the showcase, before enjoying a lunch afterwards.
A highlight of the exhibit was a Holden design 2009 Chevrolet Camaro, the same type used in the Transformers films to portray the character Bumblebee.
Museum founder and president Neil Joiner thanked the community of volunteers who help keep the museum running as well as Holden for the generous loaning of some of its cars.
Mr Joiner said the exhibit was a “tribute to the designers” at Holden, who he lauded for their work.
Mr Joiner also made mention of Holden’s vast and incredible history of manufacturing in Australia, which was not just limited to cars. He paid tribute to Holden’s efforts during World War II, during which the company helped create more than 5000 marine craft for Australia and its allies, as well as thousands of motor vehicles.
The Trafalgar Holden Museum is currently open seven days a week, from 10am to 5pm. The ‘Holden by Design’ exhibition is open now.