Farewell to Holden

The iconic signage on the western entrance into Bairnsdale has been taken down as the Big Garage enters a new era after 84 years selling and servicing Holden vehicles of all shapes and sizes.

The Big Garage dealership began in 1936 on Main Street (where the current Rivers and BCF stores are located opposite the Bairnsdale Cenotaph), under the General Motors (Holden) banner and current dealer principal, Darren Robbie is sad to see it go.

“With 84 years of history to have General Motors apart of the Big Garage, I was looking forward to having a 100-year anniversary of Holden and the Big Garage,” he said.

“Obviously there is still going to be 100 years of the Big Garage because it started back in 1926, but it’s certainly sad, it’s history gone, it can never be replaced, you’re never getting it back.

“I’ve got a yellow HZ and that was bought and sold at the Big Garage in 1977, it was my wife’s grandfather’s car so I’ve got history here, too.”

However, with one long chapter closing, another is now open for the Big Garage.

“Volkswagen is a new chapter to our book and where going to continue on with the same great service we’ve always provided the East Gippsland region,” Darren said.

“We’ve got two Volkswagen signs – the passenger and commercial – which will replace the Holden sign and sooner rather than later I hope we’re actually going to be renovating the dealership as well.”

And while a fresh look is on the cards, Darren admits 2020 has been a more difficult challenge than usual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s certainly been tougher than usual. It’s tough getting cars, stock in general. All out manufacturers are struggling to get cars into the country full stop,” he said.

“Theirs is the argument of building in Australia, but they still import parts from overseas so we’d still be having this problem, there would still be a shut down of the industry and difficulty getting stock.

“Spare parts are an issues as well because getting the products into the country is and issue and used cars have sort of taken a rise in price as well. It’s hard to get used car stock at the right price as well.”

The Big Garage currently stocks Volkswagen, Nissan, Subaru and Suzuki vehicles.

Nelson and Cecil Capuano and Walter Winson started trading as Bairnsdale Motors in 1923 before adopting the name The Big Garage in 1926, by which time Nelson operated the business on his own.

The first significant step in the business came in 1936 when The Big Garage became dealers for General Motors and thereafter it sold Buick, Pontiac and Vauxhall cars and Bedford trucks.

After finding their feet on the back end of the depression, World War II hit and caused problems for the Big Garage.

The war meant the motor industry turned to war production and the Capuanos changed their surname to Capp – Nelson joining the army in 1939 as Nelson Capp.

In 1941 The Big Garage premises was evacuated to provide accommodation for Royal Australian Air Force personnel.

After his discharge from war in 1944, Nelson Capp turned his attention to post-war development.

In the early years following the war the demand for vehicles exceeded supply.

It was obvious more space was required and the land to the west of the original site, known as Wilson’s Stables, was acquired in 1955.

The following year more land, plus the stables next to the Terminus Hotel, was bought and used for repair work.

The increasing complexity of vehicle designs and engines placed great demand on service requirements so in 1965 a new service division was built fronting Service Street.

Before the end of the 1960s, three acres of land on the Princes Highway in West Bairnsdale was purchased.

In 1970 a further expansion of the service facilities took place in the Main Street complex to accommodate Bairnsdale’s first dynomometer together with an extra seven work bays.

In 1971 the original show rooms and offices were modernised, but the original façade, which had become a town landmark, was preserved.

By 1986 the staff number had grown to 54 such was the size of the ever-growing business.

In 1984 the Big Garage became the first rural Australian car dealership to have a 48-year continuous relationship with General Motors, which only concluded this year, some 36 years later.