2019-20 Annual Report Final - Flipbook - Page 39
The difference between Australia and
England in regards to the coachbuilding
or automotive industry in general cannot
be understated. Traditional skills in
England are much more intact, a lot more
cherished among its admirers and I do
not foresee a future in which this is not
the case, however despite Australia’s
geographical vastness and the fact that
we do not have continental Europe on our
doorstep we really do punch well above
our weight. Although my experience only
skims the surface, my report was written
to help share some of the knowledge
which may have otherwise remained lost
to us in Australia.
I hope that the writings of my Fellowship
and its photographs can inspire others
to push themselves and for it to help
continue Australia’s culture of superior
work and craftsmanship.
The knowledge and insight gained
from my Churchill Fellowship has been
invaluable, and I hope that this report,
along with the collection of photographs
can serve as a source of information
for all aspiring coachbuilders, as Mark
Nugent’s 2007 Churchill Fellowship
report inspired me to take the leap from
commercial panel beating to traditional
coachbuilding. England has a strong
tradition of passing on knowledge, and I
think it is important that we do the same
in Australia if we want to see the industry
thrive. Finally, to everybody passionate
about their craft and those making
traditional trades and coachbuilding their
careers, know that at times it will be a
tremendously hard slog but the rewards
are always worth the hard work.
“Never, ever ever ever ever give up,”
Winston Churchill
Download Robert’s
Churchill Fellowship report at
churchilltrust.com.au
Pictured right (from top to bottom)
1 Paul MacKenzie from Shapecraft
2 Gary Yates working on car bodies
3 Creative Classics workshop
4 Wheeling at Bodylines Ltd
Returning Fellows share their findings
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