Museum mishap: It’s the wrong Holden!
Earlier this month AHS director, Benjamin Gall, spotted that the ‘EK’ Holden displayed at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) for its ‘On the Edge’ exhibit was in fact…an FB Holden! A colossal mishap and one Ben set out to rectify, setting the record straight.
Ben alerted TMAG and local media to the incorrect vehicle, after establishing that it was not the EK Holden that once teetered on the edge of the collapsed Tasman Bridge in 1975.
The exhibit marks the 50th anniversary of the tragic Tasman Bridge collapse, after a section of the structure was knocked down by a ship, which claimed the lives of 12 people.
An iconic yet sobering photograph circulated after the tragedy, which showed a HQ Holden Monaro, owned by Frank Manley, and an EK Holden, owned at the time by Murray Ling, dangling from the edge of the collapsed section of bridge. The two families narrowly escaped, climbing from their cars to safety, whilst others didn’t that night.
The two men, according to reports, flagged down and warned other cars and a bus after escaping from their vehicles, preventing further incidents.
Amazingly, Frank still owns his Monaro and has kept it in original condition – right down to scratches and scrapes obtained during the bridge collapse. The EK, however, was sold and the model displayed at the museum was not the same car.
“It’s a breach of professional standards that the museum must adhere to,” Benjamin told the ABC.
“Unfortunately, the publicity given to [the incorrect vehicle] about the Tasman Bridge disaster … has caused substantial impact to the history of the disaster and most importantly, the families directly impacted,” he told Pulse Tasmania.
Benjamin has a keen eye for all things heritage. However, when it comes to classic Holdens – in particular FB-EK models – his in-depth knowledge as an owner and former club president is second to none.
Below, Benjamin can be seen with two of his families beautiful old Holdens – a blue 1960 FB and green 1961 EK. This, we think you’ll agree, makes him a pretty good authority on the ever-so-subtle differences between an FB and EK Holden.
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