“History of the Australian Motorcycle Museum The National Motorcycle Museum was initially located in Mitchell, a suburb of Canberra, Australia in 1990. It was started by Brian and Margaret Kelleher, who at this time had been in the motorcycle retail industry for 18 years. Brian had been collecting motorcycles before starting the motorcycle business and they continued storing motorcycles and memorabilia with the dream of one day opening a museum. Motorcycles formed a very important part of Australia's transport history, as they provided a cheap method of motor transport. Many of Australia's 50s generation's first motor vehicle was a motorcycle. When the Kellehers read in a Bureau of Statistics report in 1988 that many of our old motorcycles were leaving the country for the USA, Japan and England, they believed unless something was done now, then more of Australia's motoring heritage would be lost. This was the trigger to start the museum for their collection and to offer a home to some of the motorcycles sitting in peoples' sheds. After much searching for some type of government assistance, with nothing forthcoming, they decided to go it alone and set up the National Motorcycle Museum of Australia. After operating in Canberra for approximately ten years the Kellehers sold the motorcycle business and moved to the Mid North Coast of NSW where they built a purpose built complex that houses over 700 motorcycles and an enormous array of motorcyle memorabilia, toys and an extensive motorcycle orientated gift shop. The new location of the museum is the small village of Nabiac, which is 28 kilometres south of Taree and 140 kilometres north of Newcastle on the Pacific Highway, on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Many of the motorcycles are on loan to the museum for display, but the majority are owned by the Kelleher family. People interested in loaning machines and or any memorabilia should contact the museum either by email or by phoning 02 6554 1333. Some of the favourite machines on display are the Kenilworth scooter (1919), the twin cylinder water-cooled 2 stroke Scott, and the Vincent Black Knight. There is an excellent range from the early nineteen hundreds, and a lot of very interesting later machines. Allow an hour or two to have a good look around and read some of the interesting history presented. Books, toys, models, badges, patches and memorabilia are available for sale at the museum.” By courtesy of Margaret Kellerher The National Motorcycle Museum 33 Clarkson Street Nabiac NSW 2312 Australia

The National Motorcycle Museum Of Australia