In this episode of Classic Restos, Fletch heads to Maffra, Victoria to the Gippsland Vehicle Collection (GVC). The museum opened its doors in 2004, after two years of restoration work on the building, by the 700+ members and numerous local volunteers.
Secretary Sue Lawrence recalls the history of the building and the formation of the Gippsland Vehicle Collection. The building, built in 1943 was a vegetable dehydration plant which supplied food for troops in WW2. It had several owners afterwards, before falling into disrepair.
The origins of the GVC was around the time of the 2003 Australian GP Rally that passed through Maffra. The organisers asked locals to bring out their vehicles as a parade during the event. The locals were so amazed at the quality of vehicles on display they discussed (at the local pub) the prospect of having somewhere to display these beautiful machines for all to see. Today the GVC attracts around 110,000 visitors per year.
The GVC doesn't own any vehicles, they are all are on loan from enthusiasts far and wide. Every year the GVC puts on three displays with different themes. The current theme is 'Lost American Cars', in July 'Bygone British Marque's' and in November 'Cars that Changed the World' - making it worthwhile to revisit the collection every four months to see a different car display.
Andrew Gallagher - GVC Project Manager reveals three vehicles from the current display. A 1958 Edsel (named after Edsel Ford), a 1902 Curved Dash Oldsmobile that was one of the world' first mass-produced assembly line cars, a 1932 Triumph Nat Sportscar and a British 1939 Levis 600cc single cylinder motorcycle with an Australian built Dusting sidecar.
Sporty Moran, a member and volunteer, talks about the 3,500 model car collection donated to by a local and the need to build a purpose-built display area to house the enormous collection.
The Gippsland Vehicle Collection is well worth the trip to Maffra in Gippsland, just a 2.5 hour trip from Melbourne.
