Edneys Leongatha and VACC: Celebrating 100 years
A presentation by the VACC President, Fury Bortolotto; and VACC CEO, Geoff Gwilym to Edneys Leongatha proprietor Darryl McGannon for the 100-year membership milestone of Edneys with the VACC was made at Edneys in Leongatha.
Edneys Leongatha is VACC member number 3, having joined on 27 November 1920. VACC was founded in Bendigo on 20 September 1918. Member number 1 is Wilson Bolton & Co of Horsham, which joined VACC in early 1919. VACC has many long-standing members, with several over 75 years and numerous over 50 years. Fifty percent of VACC members are located in regional Victoria.
Darryl McGannon spoke at the celebration to mark Edneys 100 years with the VACC organisation. Darryl detailed how Edneys was founded by Charlie Edney in the early 1920’s selling model T Fords, before expanding the business by moving onto selling Buicks.
Darryl commented that he could only go back in his days to the 1960’s when they were into the BMC product, the Leyland, Range-Rover, Jaguar, later Datsun, to where they are now, currently with Nissan and Hyundai. Darryl went onto say, “Edneys has been a member for 100 years which is huge really. We rely on VACC so much, they are so important to the automotive industry. For us to have the ability to talk to them, get an understanding on issues that are going on in our industry, advice, industrial relations advice, OH&S advice, for COVID-19 advice, it is just fantastic for the dealers. For 100 years they have been by our side, so we appreciate their assistance.”
With Darryl was the president of the VACC, Mr Fury Bortolotto. He was asked how significant it was to be celebrating 100 years of continuous membership for Edneys today?
Mr Bortolotto replied, “absolutely a big milestone for Edneys. Last year VACC celebrated its own 100-year anniversary of our association and looking after the motor industry. Certainly to call them a party after 100 years, the journey of change and disruption that has occurred and it certainly has been a big privilege for us to have members like that that stayed with us, and it was not easy. Certainly things that happened within the industry, the disruptions that we had, the Governments not listening, we don’t want to get everything across the line with Governments but the changes that do occur, we need good governance to make sure that we explain to the Government what is happening and where the industry is going and also to inform our members what is happening, keeping them well informed.
Certainly this COVID period this year has been challenging for a lot of our members and I feel sure that we concentrated on trying to keep all our members up to date with what was happening, what they could do, what they couldn’t do. It’s an honour to have members like Edneys, certainly it’s a thank you very much Darryl and your team. And one thing that stands out, to have your staff here to acknowledge 100 years. You have acknowledged your staff members who have been with you for quite some time, they’re your backbone, but also, they are our backbone. We have 500 apprentices we train at the VACC. So, we are trying to keep the industry going with training and making sure that we don’t just fall over, and our members don’t fall over. So, thank you very much Darryl and thanks for being a member for such a long time.
Pictured are two 1920s Panhard et Levassor vintage cars made available for inspection.
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