The Military Vehicle Preservation Society of South Australia Inc. (MVPSSA) is a group of enthusiasts dedicated to the preservation of historic military vehicles and equipment. The MVCSSA was formed in 1976 with approximately 15 members and has since grown considerably in its membership.  A large workload a number of Society Members bear, on a voluntary roster, is the operation of the National Military Vehicle Museum (NMVM) in Edinburgh Pk, South Australia.

The basic aim of the Society is the restoration, preservation and presentation of all types of military vehicles and ancillary equipment with an emphasis on Australian and South Australian manufactured and/or utilised vehicles  Although these are predominantly from the WW2 era, the collection is being continually updated to later theatres of war.  In addition information is collected and researched to supplement the vehicles and equipment.

It should be emphasised that the Society is not a para-military organisation and in no way supports the concept of war nor is it a four wheel drive club, even though many vehicles have that capacity which is put to use on some club outings.

Society activities are a balance of vehicle use, restoration and presentation of vehicles with family participation encouraged. These activities include day trips, barbecues and camping trips of varying duration, as well as public outings such as displays, promotions and community service involvement including the yearly Anzac Day Parade.  One of the Society’s largest activities is the display of military vehicles to the public at its National Military Vehicle Museum (NMVM), which also provides members with undercover storage and workshop facilities for their vehicles.

The Society is an affiliated member of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association (MVPA) the largest international organisation supporting the preservation of historic military vehicles and based in the United States of America.  Through this and other forums Society members share their restoration expertise and historic knowledge with like minded individuals.

Achievements to date:

1. The collecting, restoration, preservation and displaying of numerous Australian historic military vehicles including a number of very rare and unique Australian designed and built armoured cars.
2. The utilisation of the Work for the Dole (WfD) program for nearly five years including winning, in June 2002, a national (WfD) award in the category “Caring for Our Heritage”.  Work for the Dole has been a significant aspect for the Society that has led to the accelerated restoration of vehicles and plant, enhancing the visiting public’s Museum experience in general through display upgrades and maintaining the opening of the Museum seven days a week.
3. Sponsoring a separate WfD program that created a CD about the Museum.
4. Assisting two South Australian RSL Clubs with the restoration of their respective 25pdr artillery pieces and coordinating the restoration of a WW1 artillery piece for a third RSL Club.
5. One of the Society members being the principal restorer, with other member’s assistance, of the Leyland Badger truck used by the legendary Tom Kruse, The Mailman of the Birdsville Track.  This truck is now on permanent display in the National Motor Museum at Birdwood in South Australia with Tom Kruse still being a member of the Society.
6. World-wide exposure of the collection through the Museum website.  Both the website and the Museum’s Visitors Books demonstrate the high level of local, interstate and international interest in the Museum collection and Society activities.
7. Participation in numerous fetes and parades throughout the years, including being the largest carrier of veterans and personnel in the annual Anzac Day Parades.
8. Forming a partnership with Museums Australia.
9. Being an accredited tourist destination through the National Tourism Accreditation Program.
10. Changing the registered business name of the Museum from the South Australian Military Vehicle Museum to the National Military Vehicle Museum to give the collection national prominence.
11. Creating a new membership category entitled Friends of the Museum that will encourage non-military vehicle owning persons and pensioners to join the Society at a reduced rate.  This initiative has been adopted after research showing that this initiative has been successfully utilised by other museums.

Current and Future Goals:

MAJOR GOAL – To find a permanent home to house the ever expanding collection.  WE NEED HELP HERE -  PLEASE READ National Military Vehicle Museum (NMVM)

1. To become a major tourism and educational asset for South Australia that would be recognised nationally and internationally.
2. To become accredited by the History Trust of South Australia.
3. To complete the building of a specialised museum collections database.
4. To gain Education Department recognition and assist school students and higher academics with this aspect of Australian cultural heritage.
5. To continue with the WfD Program.
6. To formulate a Historic Military Vehicle Grading System based on vehicle provenance and significance.
7. To continue to collect and preserve historic military vehicles and become one of the most significant military vehicle collections in Australia.

We welcome you to our site and invite you to explore the myriad of information contained within. Information is updated on a monthly basis. Come back regularly and visit the For Sale page to find those hard to get parts, manuals and vehicles. Become a member today and receive the many benefits of membership including the monthly magazine, Olive Drab.

here you can view snippets from this months magazine

Become a member and receive the full newsletter plus other benefits

OLIVE DRAB is the name of our monthly magazine. It is anything but drab! Our current Editor, Richmond Gregory invests many hours each month to make each edition informative and entertaining.

Input from both members and non-members is always welcomed. So get those editorial contributions rolling in. Email or post us things like your funny stories about your military vehicle hobby/passion/obsession, newspaper & journal clippings or cartoons of a vehicular nature.

Submissions received before the 15th of each month will be considered for the next edition. Each edition is posted in the last week of each month.

To give you an idea of the quality of the magazine we include in our web site one or two snippets from each month’s edition.

September 2009

August 2009

Welcome to our Museum, which is operated on a volunteer basis by members of the Military Vehicle Preservation Society of South Australia. The Society is one of many Military Vehicle Clubs across Australia and throughout the world and its members are dedicated to the preservation of vehicles that are of military origin. The museum was developed as away of providing undercover storage for the vehicles and at the same time allowing the public to view them.

Opened in August 1993 with the principal support of Messenger Press and Port Adelaide Council this museum is unique number of ways. The majority of the vehicles are privately owned by the Society members and therefore each member is responsible for their own vehicles. In addition the vehicles are not just restored to look at, they are rebuilt to authentic running condition and most are road registered and driven regularly. Military vehicles and items range from the First World War to current times.

Should you require further information about the Museum or the Society one of our members in attendance would be pleased to assist.  You are also invited to loan or donate items to the Museum for display purposes.  Alternatively you can contact us or email us. Take a virtual tour through our Museum now.

The museum is located at 10 Sturton Road (formally Fourth Avenue) Edinburgh Park, SA 5111


View Larger Map

Museum Entry Fees


Adult $8.00

Child $4.00 (5 to 14 yrs)


Concession $6.00

Family $20.00 (2 Adults and 3 children)

Every Sunday from 10am-4.30pm.
Closed Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day morning.
Special guided tours for social groups, schools, interstate and international visitors.

http://corowaswim-in.org/ – For Australia’s biggest annual Military vehicle event

http://reenactsa.freeforums.org/ – For Re-enactment Group in South Australia

http://armygroupsouth.org/ – For army Group South

http://www.imagecontrol.com.au/oldcmp/ – for the WW2 ‘Blitz’ truck

http://completedrives.com.au/ – For chains and accessories

We currently have over 110 members including 2 overseas members. These members account for over 250 historic and military vehicles! Explore our on-line listing of member vehicles.

Full members: A$55 per year
+ Once off Joining Fee: A$20 Associate members: A$15 per year
(An Associate Membership is for a spouse or immediate family member, and must accompany a Full Membership)


Fees fall due on June 1st and are payable in full by September 1st each year.

Friends of the museum – Fee $35 (non voting membership)


Full membership entitles members to:
* A copy of the monthly newsletter – Olive Drab – delivered to your door
* Free unlimited access to the extensive Club library
* Club discounts from a variety of suppliers
* Participation in Club events
* Free unlimited access to the National Military Vehicle Museum
* Eligibility for Historic Vehicle Registration (for residents of South Australia only)
* Free secure undercover space in the Museum to house and display vehicles subject to availability and committee approval
* Access to the Museum Workshop for vehicle maintenance renovation purposes by arrangement with the workshop manager


membership application
Membership is open to all people with an interest in military vehicles. For the annual fee of only A$55 you certainly get value for money!

(Vehicle entries in BOLD indicates that the vehicle is running and registered)

A new Committee was elected at the Annual General Meeting held in July 2008.  The Committee meets on the second Tuesday of every month beginning at 7pm.  These are open meetings with anyone welcome to attend.  The Society’s General Meetings are held on the last Tuesday of every month, except December, beginning at 7.30pm.  The venue for both meetings is the Society’s Clubroom within the National Military Vehicle Museum (NMVM) 10 Sturton Rd, Edinburgh Park, 5111 South Australia.

Committee Members

President & Vehicle Display Manager – Dave Carmen

Vice President & Webmaster – Douglas Draeger

Secretary & WfD Manager & Vehicle Registrar – Peter Sabey

Treasurer – John Fisk

Editor and Librarian – Richmond Gregory

PR &  QM Catering – Trevor Brown

Vehicle Register – Don Blackmore

Safety Officer – Sam Cutajar

Federation    Delegates – Hugh Davis and Aaron Fell

Militaria Display & Signals Manager – Tony Bell

NSHS Co-ordinator & QM Shop (9 Mile Snipers) – Tony Cutler

New membership manager – Paula Kenny

Vehicle Service Manager & Safety Officer – Bob Hannam

postal
Military Vehicle Preservation Society of South Australia Inc.
The National Military Vehicle Museum
10 Sturton Road, Edinburgh Parks, South Australia, 5111,
PO Box 174 Salisbury SA 5108 Australia

telephone
President: Dave Carman, 08 8285 3011

email
secretary@military-vehicle-museum.org.au ]]> http://www.military-vehicle-museum.org.au/museum/contact-us/feed/ 0