Trafalgar’s new Holden Museum

A small but very enthusiastic group of the 250 Holden party-faithful attending the official opening of the Neil Joiner Centre of the Trafalgar Holden Museum on June 28 chuckled at the memory of the catchy 1976 Holden ad as we wandered about the amazing conversion of the local unused butter factory to a magnificent tribute to Holden!

The mix of old and new buildings houses a collection of 150-200 Holdens and memorabilia in a series of interconnected rooms, and the new Neil Joiner Holden Heritage Centre building, which was officially opened by Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Steve Dimopoulos.

I was aware of Holden’s past as an Adelaide coach builder of horse-drawn buggies and horsepower vehicles of the type we are all familiar with, but not the pre-1900 history of the business that commenced as a saddlery.

This aspect is cleverly explored in an older building that has recently been made over for that purpose and pops you into the late 1890s.

All of us have a soft spot for Holdens, even if we aren’t rabid Racing Red fans. The marque is iconically Australian, all of us over 15 have a Holden connection somewhere in our families.

Barry Rogers with the GRM Holdens that took on the Bathurst 1000 in 2021 and the 24 Hour in 2003. Image: Auto Action

Neil Joiner a dedicated visionary

Local businessman Neil Joiner was a dedicated Holden enthusiast who focused on transforming the old butter factory into a Holden museum after his retirement in 2007. The museum celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2024, the year in which Neil died.

A big picture man, Joiner’s vision wasn’t just about the cars. It was telling the whole story from the early saddlery and buggy era, armaments made during World War 2, the Frigidaire range of home products and the cars from Holden-bodied Buicks to the last ZB Commodores.

Proud group at the official opening: Anne Schembri – Museum secretary and daughter of the Museum’s founder Neil Joiner; Jen Middleton – Museum president: GM-ANZ Manager, Motorsport and Aftersales; Chris Payne; and Steve Dimopoulos MP, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events and Member for Oakleigh.

Joiner tipped in his entire collection of cars and memorabilia and Holden came to the party too. Chris Payne, AC Delco GM Marketing – a good friend of motor racing – told Auto Action.

“That ‘We (Holden) have 27 cars down here at the moment, of about 80 we have spread throughout Australia.”

Trafalgar Holden Museum is full of wonderful Holdens from the first FX 48-215 Holden to last model ZB Commodore

A modern day classic – Holden Monaro CV8 at the Holden Museum in Trafalgar

Read the full story in this week’s new issue of Auto Action Premium

Buy the new issue of Auto Action Premium HERE

Read the new issue of Auto Action Digital HERE

Don’t forget the print edition of Auto Action available via subscription here or you can purchase a copy of the latest issue from one of our outlets here. For more of the latest motorsport news, subscribe to AUTO ACTION magazine