Bush Mechanics exhibition, based off popular series, showcased in Museum of Geraldton installation

Featuring cars left for dead in the outback put back together using branches, spinifex and sand, an installation based on a popular ABC series opens at the Museum of Geraldton on Saturday.

The Museum of Geraldton will host the Bush Mechanics exhibition based on the popular ABC series of the same name which first aired in 2001.

Starting on Saturday, July 5, the exhibition depicts the journey of abandoned cars being fixed, highlighting the ingenuity of outback mechanics whose clever resourcefulness can put a vehicle back on the road with only a handful of tools.

Museum of Geraldton regional manager Leigh O’Brien said Bush Mechanics was a cleverly crafted exhibition integrating the multimedia showcase of mechanical skills and the magic of TV show production.

The exhibition features two cars from the series, clay figurines and specially commissioned artwork capturing the energetic tone of the series, and provides an insight into the life and culture of the Warlpiri people of Central Australia.

Visitors can become bush mechanics themselves and try their hand at the nyurulypa, or tricks seen on the show through engaging inventions and interactive displays.

National Motor Museum senior curator Tony Kanellos said similar to the TV series, the Bush Mechanics exhibition had been popular and enjoyed a long life. Opening in 2017, it has continued to tour every mainland State and territory, entertaining and educating thousands of visitors.

“The popular and quirky television series was only four episodes, but it captured the imagination of many Australians with a humorous look at Aboriginal ingenuity and improvisation,” Mr Kanellos said.

The exhibition was developed by the National Motor Museum and the History Trust of South Australia, in conjunction with Pintubi Anmatjere Warlpiri (PAW) Media and will close on Sunday, October 22.