The inaugural Motors & Masterpieces is going to showcase the very best of Australia’s automotive past, with the Great Southern Land category one of ten showcases that will take over the Melbourne Showgrounds from November 22-24.
Our homegrown industry was one of which we can be incredibly proud, producing models that stacked up on the world stage.
While the dollars and cents ultimately curtailed manufacturing on these shores, over a century of local design and production showed what the Land Downunder was capable of.
There is perhaps no more iconic brand than General Motors Holden.
From humble beginnings, the marque became a powerhouse, with nameplates such as the Monaro, the Torana, the Kingswood, and the Commodore, which led the brand through the early 1980s until the company was ultimately shuttered.
Other manufacturers, meanwhile, set up shop in Australia and produced their own line of bespoke vehicles designed especially for the needs of the local audience.
Think, for instance, of the ute, which Ford Australia innovated with the introduction of its coupe design mated to a tray back in 1934.
While Ford manufactured some of its worldwide models at plants peppered around the country, perhaps its greatest achievement was the Falcon, which went through seven distinct generations from 1960 to 2016.
Holden and Ford both sprouted performance spinoffs in Holden Special Vehicles and Ford Performance Vehicles, with the Holden variants finding great success in export markets.
Other key Australian manufacturers that will feature in the Great Southern Land showcase include Chrysler Australia, which produced nameplates such as the Valiant, Charger, Pacer and more, while makes such as Leyland add to our motoring story.
Great Southern Land is set to be a must-see attraction at Motors & Masterpieces.