Holden enthusiasts from Tuross to Mollymook descended on Moruya to mark the closing of the iconic car manufacturer’s last Australian factory.
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Owners and admirers alike had stories to tell – and all were agreed that each Holden was a living, breathing pice of history.
Rob and Donna Upton, of Broulee, brought their 1979 HZ Sandman and 1971 Torana out for the day.
“The Torana was my mother-in-law’s,” Mrs Upton said.
“Rob and I both learnt to drive in it.
“We were at her over the years to trade it in for something with air conditioning, but she loved it too much.
“I’m so thankful she kept it, and passed it to us. She passed away last year, and you couldn’t part me from the car now.”
Mark and Katrina Collalilo’s love for their Holden’s is apparent.
“Driving one of these is just a completely different experience from driving a new car fresh out of the showroom,” Mr Collalilo said.
“They’ve got soul.”
Mrs Collalilo agreed.
“We’re the second owners of Bessie – I called her Bessie – and the children of the original owner spotted the car the same week their mother passed away,” she said.
“We couldn’t believe it, they were in shock. Their mum had called her Bess too.
“I offered to take her to the funeral, just so they’d have her there. She’s a living piece of history.”
AJ and Terri Rowe’s Holdens aren’t historic – yet.
But they undoubtedly will be.
“We have two of the last of the Sandman series – there were only 500 made,” Terri said.
“We bought the first one in July 2015, after moving from Sydney to Mollymook.
“The little Kia just wasn’t handling the drive to work, so we went to have a quick look – I saw it and had to have it.”
So much so, that after purchasing their first in July 2015, they went and bought a second in 2016.
“They’re just something a bit different.
“People like to look at them, I didn’t realise why they caused so much excitement the first few times I went to fill up at the petrol station.
“I did have to get used to people asking me if it belonged to my husband though – now I just say this one’s mine, but he’s got his own.”
The eye-catching duo are more than just a pair of pretty faces though. They were the first and second cars over the new bridge at Burril, cementing them a place in the history books.
