THE new Geelong Museum of Motoring, expected to open soon at North Geelong, has picked up a handy windfall from the former Ford Discovery Centre’s trust fund.
A $90,000 package from the Ford Heritage Trust will go four ways, including to the museum.
A full donation of historic Ford vehicles and artefacts will be housed in its proposed new home at the old Federal Mills, Mackey Street, the heart of Geelong’s manufacturing precinct and in the vicinity of where it all began for Ford.
Mark Giles of the Ford Discovery Centre board, said it was important to “retain as much of the centre’s history as possible”.
“It was crucial that the trust ensure that the valuable Ford vehicles and artefacts, along with any remaining funds, stayed in Geelong,” he said.
The Ford Heritage Trust has been managing the dispersal of the many unique and valuable vehicles from the Ford Discovery Centre, which closed in 2012. The trust has also been able to disperse outstanding funds to the community organisations which had a long-term association with the cventre and contributed to its overall success.
A joint project of Ford Australia and Deakin University, the Ford Discovery Centre was a successful part of Geelong’s waterfront precinct.Motoring museum spokesman Ken Parker said the group was looking forward to a great future in Geelong.
“We very much appreciate what the Ford Heritage Trust has done for us,” he said.
Developers Dennis More and Cameron Hamilton, together with a committee headed by Geelong Revival director Nicholas Heath, want to have the motoring museum open by Easter.
Mr Heath recently told the Independent up to 200 vehicles were on offer for the museum to showcase although exhibitions would probably feature no more than 50 vehicles at a time.
– NOEL MURPHY
