The Old Hume Highway: Classic Restos - Series 52
Fletch ventures down the Hume Highway, south of Goulburn, and turns off towards Breadalbane to explore a section of the Old Hume Highway, which he believes is Australia's version of Route 66. The Hume Highway was established in 1824 and was originally a network of dirt tracks that followed the natural landscape instead of a set route.
Fletch used a book by Peter FitzSimons called The Hume Highway – Where History Begins with a Road as his guide for the journey. The book showcases the modern Hume Highway from Melbourne to Sydney, the remaining sections of the Old Hume, and earlier road alignments. These sections provide insight into Australia's past and allow one to imagine the people who lived along these routes and the vehicles they used.
Nowadays, our new highways bypass many rural centres and even smaller country towns. However, taking a trip off the main highway offers a glimpse into country life from a bygone era. Many significant structures from that period still stand on the then-main highway, preserving our Australian history in a time capsule.
One of the stops along the Old Hume is the township of Gunning, where Baileys Garage has been operating since 1948. The garage was originally a General Motors dealership, which sold Pontiacs, Buicks, and Chevrolets for 50 years. Before becoming a Holden dealership, the garage employed thirteen mechanics, two spare parts people, and the Bailey family members. In the 1940s, owner Frank Bailey passed away, and Vern Southwall from the nearby town of Dalton took over the business but retained the Baileys Garage business name at the request of the former owner's wife.
The Gunning Holden Wall of Fame features a mural by a local artist that depicts several iconic Holden cars on the side of Bailey's Garage. Bailey's Garage has an interesting history, with Craig Southwall, a proud third-generation member of the Southwall family, running the business today. Craig says that stepping into Bailey's Garage is like stepping back in time, they are a garage, not a service station. They don't sell hot food and cold drinks but service everything from tractors, trucks, motorbikes, and cars. Craig says, "If it has a motor, we'll have a crack at it".
Steve, a member of the Canberra Torana Club, drove from Canberra to Gunning to meet with Fletch at Baileys Garage and discuss his 1974 LJ Torana. The car underwent a passionate 2-year ground-up restoration to its original condition. Steve pays tribute to his late friend Bill Spencer, who saved five lives through organ donation, by showcasing his friend's name on the car.
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