Birdwood SA National Motor Museum Harbour Town

The wind had dropped a bit but still cold, compared to say Darwin....

Our plan today was to hop up into the hills with the intention of visiting the National Motor Museum at Birdwood, which of course is rightly known throughout Australia as the car museum. Those people we met at Glendambo started their rally at Birdwood, there are car club runs there every weekend, the place is classic cars in Australia.

But wait! There's a Harbour Town factory outlet joint just up the road from us and the one just like it at Surfers' has an Oroton Shop where Judy had bought a few pair of sunglasses at substantial discounts from the RRP. Seeing as hers inexplicably broke as she and they hit the ground when she fell at the Brunette Race, it seemed fair to visit this new place and buy some more. It took us an hour to get to the Oroton Shop and they had exactly 3 pair in the shop, all hideous, so that was a non-starter. I was badgered to death until i agreed that a new jumper / warm top thing that wasn't a Katmandu thing would be just the thing and even though the sign said Special $39 it seemed to have cost twice that but is really comfortable and warm so I'm not really going to complain.

Some new walking shoes caught Judy's eye and as a last grab on the way out a new tunic / dress thing, but finally, we escaped and headed into the hills.

The NMM doesn't have a cafe? Odd. anyhow, lunch was taken over the road in a lovely cottage where we had soup and quiche and toasted ham sandwich and hot hot coffee. Lovely!

Back to  the museum. It was as good as I remember from 2002, possibly better. I won't bore you to death with details but they do have a good collection of not so recent modern cars, such as one's like we all had, and a great collection of vintage ones, most of which I had never heard of. Try Alldays for a brand. They had an interactive thing that gave you a copy of the 1956 drivers licence test to complete. You'll be relieved to know I passed and can now finish the drive home. The have Tom Kruse's Leyland Badger Truck, fully restored on display. Tom was the Maree to Birdsville mailman for way too many years and he always got the mail through over unmade roads and unbridged rivers, especially once he hand built this Badger / Thirnycroft 4x6 wheel truck. A first of its kind in the world.

Anyhow, we had a really nice day out, some snaps perhaps?

These really are tiny aren't they? National Motor Museum, Birdwood SA

They never had this when I was there!  National Motor Museum, Birdwood SA

 National Motor Museum, Birdwood SA

Flower power.  National Motor Museum, Birdwood SA

A simulated barn find.  National Motor Museum, Birdwood SA

Owww. Just like the good old days with Mum and Dad.  National Motor Museum, Birdwood SA

Uncle Paul had one of these. National Motor Museum, Birdwood SA

 National Motor Museum, Birdwood SA

Where to, your Ladyship?  National Motor Museum, Birdwood SA