2010-08-27The 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 musem. Motorcycles formed a very important part of Australia's transport history, as they provided a cheap method of motor transport. Many of Australia's 60 plus age group's first motor vehicle was a motorcycle.
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.
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.
