TWO exciting bequests are on offer for Hamilton’s Sir Reginald Ansett Museum, in the form of prestigious cars formerly belonging to Sir Reginald Ansett KBE.

One is a 1979 Brougham d‘Elegance Cadillac, that was left by Lady Joan Ansett to a former chauffeur who worked for the Ansett’s. He has advised he plans to leave the vehicle to the local museum upon his passing.

The museum’s secretary, Heather Kruger, said the committee was advised the Cadillac bequest was noted in the former chauffer’s will.

“We are hopeful this will happen,” she said.

The second offer has been to temporarily display Sir Ansett’s 1948 Buick Saloon. 

Mrs Kruger said the car is presently owned by the Markby family of Melbourne, and while they are building an appropriate storage facility, have offered the Ansett Museum an opportunity to exhibit the Buick.

The Buick travelled to Hamilton in 2016 for the celebrations of the 80th Anniversary of Ansett Airways’ first flight.

“We have been asked if we would like to display the Buick for six to twelve months at the museum,” Mrs Kruger said. 

“We are certainly interested - we just don’t have the room.

“We really need somewhere as soon as possible to take up the opportunity to have the Buick at the museum.”

Mrs Kruger said they actually had almost as many items to display in storage as they presently exhibit on the floor.

The museum’s committee has appealed to the Southern Grampians Shire Council and the community for help to find an appropriate location to store at least one other vehicle.

“I wondered if there may be a vacant shop in the centre of town where we could display a vehicle, or someone could suggest a secure shed,” Mrs Kruger said.

“Any ideas or suggestions are welcome.”

Committee member, Bryan Griffiths, said the lack of floor space was compounded by the ever-expanding number of items to display.

“There’s barely a day goes by when someone doesn’t bring in an item of memorabilia to display,” he said.

He said this speaks to the shared desire of past employees and historians who want to the see the history of the iconic Australian transport empire preserved.

Centre pieces at the museum include a Fokker Universal aircraft, a complete set of flight attendant uniforms, an Ansett Clipper (coach), and hundreds of other historical airline and aircraft items that showcase the journey that grew from a single vehicle road service to an international airline.

Presently, a 1928 Studebaker purchased by the committee and identical to one owned by Sir Reginald Ansett in which he began his taxi service between Hamilton and Ballarat in 1931, is on display at the museum.

Although it was never owned by him, it was used in footage for the ‘The R. M. Ansett Story’. The car that Sir Ansett drove was a 1927 Studebaker.

“We are looking for window space to display the Studebaker, or if this is not possible - a secure building where we could house/shed the Studebaker for six to twelve months and store either the Cadillac or Buick in its place.

The Sir Reginal Ansett Museum is located on the Glenelg Highway/Ballarat Road and is purely run by volunteers.

“Other towns have shown an interest in taking the display and showing all of it in its entirety but obviously it should stay in Hamilton,” Mrs Kruger said.

“It’s iconic to the town and attracts people from all over Australia and overseas.

“Last week we had someone from New Zealand who was ex-Australian tourism (executive) and were keen to see the display.

“Last year we had 5369 people come through the doors.

“That’s the biggest number of visitors on record since I began keeping a log in 2012.”