From the multitude of things to see and do when visiting the Taranaki area, one standout is a museum dedicated to the motor industry in this part of the world.
Along with our Australian motoring friends, many New Zealanders have long had a strong affection for the Holden brand. For car enthusiasts of any persuasion, a visit to the Hillsborough Holden Museum must surely rate as a must-do.
As a young newly married man, my father-in-law was the manager of the new vehicle preparation division at Reo Motors in Takapuna, the North Shore’s new Holden dealer, back in 1967. One of the trade-in vehicles on a brand-new HR Holden was a black 1960 FB Holden taxi that had travelled 800,000 km. This very tidy, well-maintained car became mine for the huge sum of $200, around the time New Zealand changed to decimal currency in July 1967. It was the first of many Holden cars that I have owned since.
Knowing that we were going to visit the Hillsborough Museum as part of the Midland Mercedes-Benz Club tour of Taranaki for our May club run, I decided to take along a set of genuine Holden 50th Anniversary beer glasses that I had owned for many years and donate them to the museum.
On arrival, it was immediately apparent that this was no old shed full of relics. Inside the vast display area were more than 60 cars, representing models from each year in which Holden introduced either minor or major changes. From the original FX, produced in 1948, through to the final GTS V8 before Holden ceased production, the collection was impressive.
Small-scale models, memorabilia, flags, trophies, a collection of whisky bottles, and excellent descriptions of the vehicles and engines on display all added to a wonderful experience.
The collection included utes, Sandmans, racing cars from the V8 Supercars era, and cars driven by the late Peter Brock, along with others associated with drivers such as Greg Murphy, a Kiwi who contributed greatly to New Zealand’s success in international motorsport.
If you haven’t been there, it’s a must-do on any future visit to the Taranaki area.
PS: The glasses were received with grateful thanks!