National Holden Motor Museum closing its doors as search for new owner fails

It’s another sad ending in the Holden tale: Yearning for a well-earned retirement, Tony and Mark Galea have confirmed they’ll be closing their beloved museum in April after being unable to find a buyer.

The museum was originally opened in 1984 by Bill Hamel, Holden’s own general manager at the time. Starting in the Melbourne suburb of Bayswater, the museum later had homes in Bendigo and Wangaratta before eventually settling in Echuca, 225 kilometres from Melbourne, in 1993.

The museum’s owners, Tony and Mark Galea, announced the closure last week on facebook.

“It's with sadness and regret that we announce the impending closure of the National Holden Motor Museum on 14th April 2024,” the post reads.

“Being a tourist town and open every day has taken its toll on our personal lives, and wanting to keep the museum in Echuca we decided to offer it for sale.  Unfortunately, no serious buyers came forward.”

The items owned by the Galeas will be auctioned on May 18, while most of the vehicles – on loan to the museum – will be returned to their owners.

"I am missing out on a lot of family time, I am a grandfather now," Tony Galea said. "It's just the two of us, we do everything here. It has just taken its toll on us."

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Wheels hopes this news will see a serious buyer come forward to save the museum.

The impending closure follows the end of the Gosford Classic Car Museum in 2019, after a dispute with the tax office over how the museum was operated.