Goodbye: National Holden Motor Museum owners Mark Galea and Tony Galea have locked up for the last time. Photo: Aidan Briggs
The National Holden Motor Museum has closed its doors to customers for the last time after a final farewell on Sunday.
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Co-owner Tony Galea said he had mixed emotions leading up to the end.
“I’ve been having two main feelings: relief and sadness. Relief because ever since we announced it four months ago, we’ve been very hectic,” he said.
“But I also know that when we close the door to the public, I’ll be pretty sad. I think it’ll really hit me after we leave.”
This was a sentiment shared by the other owner, Mark Galea (no relation to Tony).
“Even after we close to the public and stop having people coming in, we still have a lot to do to prepare for the auction in May,” he said.
“We’ve been so busy I haven’t really had a chance to sit down and process it. There is still a lot of work to be done before (Tony and I) say goodbye.”
Going quickly: The shelves have been emptied as people from across the country came and snatched up Holden memorabilia. Photo: Aidan Briggs
Tony and Mark Galea have been running the museum since they took it over seven years ago.
They first announced the closure via social media in January, when they said they could not find a buyer for the business and had no choice but to close.
A passion for cars convinced Tony to move from Melbourne and buy the business.
“I’ve always been into Holden. I’ve got a collection of my own,” he said.
“I’m a collector of memorabilia and cars. I have quite a few.”
Giving everyone months of notice about the closure so final visits could be planned was important to the two men.
“It allowed everyone to come and see the museum for the last time or rearrange their holidays or whatever. I think that was a good thing we did that, even if it was hard work,” Tony said.
“We had lines out the door and people travelling to see us on the weekends.”
Flat out: National Holden Motor Museum owner Mark Galea, volunteer Garry Manning, and co-owner Tony Galea worked hard over the last few days so people could come in for final visits. Photo: Aidan Briggs
Mark agreed and said people came from far distances to see them again.
"We got a lot of support in these final months,” he said.
“We’ve had people come here from all over the place. Not just from across the country but even from New Zealand.”
Volunteer Garry Manning said he thinks there will be a lot of mourning for the Holden Museum.
“Lots of people came here, thousands, I’d imagine, to see this museum,” he said.
“I reckon there’ll be a bit of a hole in the town for quite a while with people missing it.”
For people interested in the museum’s memorabilia and the cars that are being put to action in May, more details can be found at www.burnsandcoauction.com.au
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