New showroom revving up Gippsland
A new showroom displaying Holden heritage vehicles has opened in Trafalgar, Gippsland.
Backed by an investment from our Regional Tourism Investment Fund, the project included:
- construction of a new showroom to house 18 heritage vehicles
- with a mezzanine floor display and lift access
- 24 display booths to showcase Holden memorabilia.
The new showroom has been named the Neil Joiner Holden Heritage Centre.
Trafalgar Holden Museum opened in 2014 by the late Neil Joiner - a local with a lifelong passion for Holden cars. Using his own funds, Mr Joiner transformed the old Trafalgar Butter factory into the museum and started the collection with 19 of his own Holden heritage vehicles.
Today, the museum has more than 75 vehicles made by Holden from 1948 onwards displayed across two showrooms. It also includes other items from the Holden brand's history such as:
- saddles
- military equipment
- golf clubs
- engines
- household items
- a tram
- a boat.
The museum is run entirely by volunteers and attracts more than 10,000 visitors each year. In 2020, its collection was deemed socially and culturally significant to Australia by the National Library of Australia.
Following the closure of Holden in 2020, Holden’s American parent company, General Motors loaned its collection to museums across the country. Trafalgar Holden Museum was selected to house several heritage car collections. General Motors loaned 18 heritage vehicles to the museum, which are on display in the Neil Joiner Holden Heritage Centre.
The expansion is expected to increase visitation to the region, supporting the Gippsland tourism economy which in 2024 welcomed 6.13 million visitors who stayed 7.39 million nights and spent $1.44 billion. This adds to a record $40 billion spent by tourists visiting Victoria in 2024.
This investment adds to our commitment to Trafalgar, with the museum also receiving a Tiny Towns Fund grant to support the upgrade and installation of fire alarm systems across the site.
For more information, visit the Trafalgar Holden Museum's website.
