PACKARD MOTOR MUSEUM Newsletter no 2 ..
Hello again to all,
Well, Christmas and New Year have been, stayed a little, then made their way to the end of my new 2018 calendar.
The weather in Northland is of course doing its usual thing, enjoy it. It will change, almost hourly.
We have been busy lately, lots of travellers and local visitors coming through our doors. Its always good to see you all.
Fenton’s record for the longest tour of 6 hours was under quite a lot of pressure during the New Year break but it still stands. We tour guides must live in his shadow.
If you want to read some very interesting information about the museum, our Manager Geraldine Craw is writing monthly editorials for the Savvy Magazine. The articles will feature items at the museum. The first one appeared in the January issue and was about the “Bootleggers “car. This is the No.1 reason to get a paper the first of every month.
The growing number of international visitors coming through is a good sign; for all of Northland. We do try to get our name and reputation out as far and wide as we can. It has come to our attention that we are listed in a French travel book. C’est excellent, merci.
Many people who drive the road between Whangarei and Dargaville don’t always realise who we are, what we are or what we have. One man popped in to see the bankrupted contractors yard which turned out to be a museum. He talked himself into a guided tour and enjoyed it so much he stayed late, we almost had to give him the keys to lockup when he left. He returned later with more people to let them discover what is hidden here.
It surprises many that we have so much variety on show. We are not your usual museum and thank you for saying as much.
Thank you to those who visit and return your survey forms, there are a lot of extremely good, well thought out comments and many interesting ideas.
In the next few months we shall run start-up tours, these tours will be Saturdays: March 3rd – June 2nd – September 1st – December 1st and will be at 1030 am, and vehicles will be started. Visitors do ask, “Do you start any vehicles” or “are there any runners”? This will be our answer, come along, see for yourself, bring your friends and cameras.
That’s about it right now, see you again soon.
The First Newsletter September 2017
[/ux_image_box]Hi there from the Packard Motor Museum.
Sorry for the delay in getting the newsletter out to you.
We keep getting people arriving and things happening and my typing finger can’t keep up.
Most of you will have noticed that we’ve had winter going on around the place, so not a lot has been happening outside apart from the lawns growing and people swearing at the mower when it got stuck in the mud.
When the sun comes out we move stuff around and then winter returns and it all goes back in, sometimes in unusual places, the tour guides love that.
We have had some helpful feedback from and about our new website www.packardmuseum.co.nz and there have been a few good suggestions made as to what people would like to see. It’s a work in progress.
There has been interesting movement in the back shed with Fenton and the volunteers shifting machinery around, yes, we did at one time have some wide-open spaces, if you haven’t been here for a while … too late; they’re gone now.
Graham, our weapons expert has just about finished the cleaning and painting of the ‘Bofors’ an anti-aircraft rapid fire machine gun designed in the 1930s he also constructed the platform it sits on. The staff are wondering where it’s going to be placed to be best viewed.
We also have had some success in getting a McCormick Deering reaper-binder ready so it too can be shown. The reaper-binder, or binder, was a farm implement invented in 1872 by Charles Baxter Withington. Yes, I should research it too.
I have tried to keep putting recent videos etc up on Facebook and the website, so please keep reviewing and posting comments.
Thanks for your interest and your comments, there will be more news to come.
From all the crew at the Packard Motor Museum, drive safe, come back soon and bring a friend or two.
