Community
1 May, 2023
Dream Ford museum opens
A DREAM to create the perfect destination for Ford enthusiasts has been realised with the longawaited Blundell Classic Ford Museum opening at Mareeba.
The museum, which has sheds filled with classic Ford cars, tractors, and memorabilia, was a dream for the father and son duo Ron and Paul Blundell, who are excited to welcome everyone to their new attraction.
Ron Blundell believes the museum will become a great asset to Mareeba, offering a bit of history for everyone to delve into.
“I feel like this is something we really need in this town because if you have friends here as tourists, where do you take them?” he said.
“From a historical perspective, I feel like it is of interest to Mareeba, and that is part of the reason we built it, and also because it was Paul’s dream.”
Paul Blundell has always been in love with Fords and strongly believes they are “the only car to buy”.
After a medical episode 12 years ago left Paul with permanent brain damage, blindness, and a speech impediment, his father Ron was motivated to make his Ford dreams come to life.
From the first Model T to a 2016 Falcon, the collection grew quickly over the past two decades, and now the family is ready to show it off to the world. A big Compact Fairlane was the first Ford in the collection.
Currently, the museum comprises of five buildings which include a café, a display of Ford memorabilia, a merchandise shop, a workshop, a spray booth, and three large sheds filled with Ford cars, engines, and tractors. Room has been left for visitor parking and more sheds in the future.
There are close to 40 cars in the collection and 30 tractors. For some models such as the 1960 XK, the 1962 XL, the 1964 XM, the 1964 XP, the family has collected a ute, a sedan and a wagon example of each model. Pride of place is a 2016 XR8 Sprint sedan, which has never been registered or driven on the road.
The dream car to add to the collection, they say, is an XR6 Sprint with a six-cylinder engine.
The museum, at 109 Cobra Road, Mareeba, opens from 9.30am to 4pm from Friday to Monday, with the café also open from 10am to 3:30pm.
Admissions are adults $12, seniors $10.80; children under 15 $8 and family of four with children under 15 $35.
