Gippsland Vehicle Collection — Attraction in Maffra

The Maffra Car Museum (Gippsland Vehicle Collection) is a hidden gem! From the outside, it looks fairly plain—except for the old train carriage on the eastern side, which is actually part of the museum’s display. But once inside, it’s an incredible collection of cars, motorcycles, engines, and memorabilia that any motoring enthusiast (or history buff) will appreciate.

I visited during their Holden vs. Ford exhibit, and it did not disappoint! The attention to detail in the cars was amazing—many restored to showroom condition. Some highlights included: 🚗 1954 FJ Holden (immaculate!) 🚗 1970 Holden HG Monaro GTS 350 🚗 1970 Ford Falcon Hardtop Coupe 🚗 Holden VT SS used in the Sydney 2000 Olympic torch relay 🚗 …and yes, even a Holden Camira (but let’s not talk about that one! 😂)

Beyond the cars, there’s so much to see: 🔧 An interactive open-cut engine where you can press a button and see the inner workings in motion (including the spark plugs firing!) 🚂 A large model railway display (still being developed) 🛥️ A vintage timber racing boat 🏍️ 1940s Douglas racing motorbikes 🚲 A penny-farthing and vintage pushbikes 🚗 A dedicated model car room with a huge collection

The museum is very well-organized and easy to navigate, with great accessibility for all visitors. Staff and volunteers were friendly, knowledgeable, and welcoming, making the visit even better.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely! Whether you’re a car enthusiast, history buff, photographer, or just looking for a great day out, this place is well worth a visit. I’ll definitely be back for...

Maffra, just up the road from Sale, has a special motoring history reaching back more than a century.

A historic hill climb continues to be maintained by the Maffra and District Car Club, and there’s a motocross track run by the local motorcycle club.

Also in Maffra, a massive WWII-era building constructed for vegetable dehydration has been repurposed as an exhibition space for the Gippsland Vehicle Collection.

This fleet of carriages, motorbikes, trucks, cars, engines and motoring memorabilia is equally enormous, and is rotated every few weeks to stay fresh.

You’ll see everything from 19th-century horsedrawn carriages to state-of-the-art race cars.

Also here is one of Australia’s largest displays of model cars, counting more than...

A quick preface to the review; I didn't get a chance to go inside. After a long day in the road, I had to pull over and get the kids to bed in the van. Caravan parks tend to send their staff home after business hours, but the Gippsland Vehicle Collection leave out a donation box and let you bunk down in their yard at your own convenience. Saved me a great deal of hassle having a dump point at one end of the yard and a hose full of potable (I assume, still standing after drinking it) water over by the camp kitchen. The sign in the camp kitchen said to speak to the staff at the reception box to have the electric barbecues fired up, so be warned that you'll not be able to use them if you rock up in the evening and leave early in the...