Another video, another triumph. Fun fact: When Ford came to Geelong in 1925, they immediately sponsored the Geelong Football Club and still do to this day. It is the longest sponsorship of any professional sporting club in the world.

This put a tear in my eye. I used to work there throughout the 80's and early 90's in the technology center, it was a great place and time of my life. I was a warranty officer and also a tech trainer for mechanics who came on site from the dealerships. In the early 90's I changed to be an IT engineer and have been so since. But I always will remember Campbellfield with fond memories.

A story I heard while working at Ford Geelong was when US executives came to inspect the Broadmeadows site they were shocked that there was no rail link between the Geelong engine plant and the Broadmeadows assembly plant and engines would have to be trucked over 100 miles of country roads. There was no Geelong freeway, western ring road or B-triple road trains in the 1960's. The Australian excecutive who did the deal with the Victorian government was sacked in the car on the way back to Geelong.

I have a 2008 FG falcon Ute XR6 and I absolutely love it. True Aussie car built for Australian road conditions. With the all designed and built legendary Barra Inline 6

In my opinion. The Ford plant must not be pulled down under any circumstances. This plant may be needed in case of war or the return of Ford which is not as far fetched as people think. Australia and the government are very short sighted.

Great video, thank you for this. Politicians failed us. Every major country pays to have car manufacturing, but we refused? And instead spent $1B on literally nothing? We need new leadership.

My old man worked on the assembly line at Campbellfield in the 80s into the early 90s. He had some great stories. The Xmas parties when the families of the workers got to walk around the factories and the kids got a present at the end was one of the highlights in my early days.

Fantastic Philip ! brought back memories of my grandfather and grandmother, both immigrated from Greece after the war, my grandfather worked his way up to supervisor and my grandmother was the canteen lady for approx. 23 years. Thanks for putting this video together!

Thank you, I used to visit the product development site at Geelong, and the test track at You Yangs… on my location I visit the assembly factory at Broadmeadows, and one of the engineering managers told me how the assembly line workers always keep a Coke can nearby for any ”emergency” as the demands of assembling new car vehicles we’re such that it was just not practical to get to the nearest toilet…..

Why not GMH Dandenong next. That also opened in 1956. And had its own Railway station and lawn bowls ground.

I used to sell newspapers outside Upfield station while I was still at school. I vividly remember the development EA Falcons, before they were officially released, being driven back to the factory in the early hours of the morning in order to avoid drawing too much attention. They were badged as 'Granada', and for ages a lot of my school friends didn't believe me that I'd already seen the new Falcon.

We were lucky enough quite a few years ago to stop there on way to the Hardtop Anniversary and had all the Falcon Hardtops lined up out the front then got pics in front of Ford sign. Fordtastic.

How about doing a piece on Tonsley Park and the Valiants...Chrysler lives baby...

I remember hauling steel from Melbourne to the rail works in Mackay and Gladstone and driving past the Ford plant. I didn't realise it was so long ago!

The Mitsubishi 380 was the beginning of the end. Ford, GM and Toyota wanted to pull out of Australia for a long time. But it took Mitsubishi to break the ice and the rest followed suit.

Another major facility that is not in the suburb it is most reffered by. Not being in Broadmeadows. The Victorian Railways specifically had lettering saying Ford Campbellfield as sending the wagon to Broadmeadows would cause major problems. So good you tried to educate people that it was always in Campbellfield.

Sad to see. My Mrs and I got to go on a tour of the assembly plant in 2010 and it was alive with activity, was a real experience. We're grateful for the opportunity we were given and of course to the workers and their hospitality that day.

I lived In broady from 1971 to 1987, went to Dallas north primary school then upfield high school, most of my friends had a father or brother who worked at the Ford factory.

Thank you Phil, My fave car was the XP. wish I still had it..

The Ford Falcon was my dad's first car, similar to the ones in the video. I remember my mum telling me the story of my dad driving his light blue Falcon in a dark suit and a hat and apparently people would drive past him slow as they thought he was a cop...lol. I still remember that car fondly and we have many family photos featuring this car.

We lost our car industry due to the Button Car Plan, which lowered our tariffs on imported cars from 50% to 5%. That was supposed to have been in concert with other ASEAN nations, to give us more export opportunities. Turns out, we were the only bunnies knifing local industry. When a new factory opens, the pollies elbow their way to the front of the ribbon-cutting photo op. They're less enthusiastic about taking credit when a factory closes.

Great shot of the freight tram!

That green Falcon sedan could have been my dad's . We had one just like it. We were coming home from a day at London Bridge, Portsea, in it , when we heard on the radio the prime minister Harold Holt had disappeared not far along the coast. The vinyl back seat was sticky in the heat as we drove through Chelsea on Nepean Hwy when we heard the news.

Thank you. My grandfather worked there, lived on Barry Road. My grandparents moved there from the country, they had the best garden on street.

Great video! I really enjoyed it! When I was 15 I did a work experience placement there in the marketing department. I was excited to have been in a lift with Geoff Polities and David Flint held the door open for me in the cafeteria. They were heros of mine at the time. So sad to see it decay now. :(

very nice video, my first, and the current car own is a black 2016 FGX XR6, built the day before the factory closed on October 6, when i first inspected the car to buy it last year, i drove by this factory which was a few minutes away on the way to see it. you can call me silly, but by driving past the factory, it was a sign to me that the "stars aligned" for me to get this car. ive been loving the car ever since

Great video. What a time when they had to open a new factory rather than close it down. The Geelong Ford factory also had a covid connection with part of it being used as a vaccination centre.

That admin building is beautiful! Thanks for uploading this Philip!

This brought back a few memories for me; I used to work in the Truck Plant, 1972-3. We were making K-series, D-series and F-series, plus Transits. From memory, Louisvilles were introduced onto the line around October/November '72. Such a shame that all the manufacturing capacity and expertise has been lost.

Love seeing all the old footage. So great!!. Thankyou, Philip. ❤

Awesome video. Worked there back in 2005 and used to love talking a walk through the production line, watching the BA falcon at the time come together. During Covid the site was also used for drive through vaccinations in the production line car park.

Ford and Holden were always subsidiaries of Ford USA and General Motors, and neither were especially willing to export Australian-built motors overseas to compete against themselves. Overseas manufacturers generally cannot support themselves without expanding into other markets, so it's incredible that both companies lasted this long here. In the end, I hope car manufacturing returns to Australia.

Actually Ford Motor Co decided to move to Broadmeadows because the Ford manager at the time owned the land. He sold the land to Ford and Ford planned to relocate Geelong press and engine plant to Broadmeadows. Thus consolidating all the manufacturing and assembly in Broadmeadows. After a couple of years Ford started plans to start manufacturing the plant. First the assembly plant was built. Once soil tests were done they realised that the 150 ton presses could not operate in Broadmeadows as the soil was to unstable due to poor soil conditions. So as history shows Ford ended up having two seperate plants.

I worked at the cambellfeild plant when Covid hit, decommissioned the plant and watched the demo, was happy I saw it before it got knocked down. You could say I was probably one of the last to walk through it before it got knocked down.

I worked at both, I live near one of them, I travel past the other regularly. I am always deepened saddened when I pass-bye either.

Love your videos Phillip. Well researched, and well presented. Keep up the good work.

Great video. I was one of 12 graduates inducted in what I now know was the year Ford production peaked (1982). One of my best memories was delivering a mockup part into the Research Centre behind the 'Chocolate Box' HQ. When I walked past the clay 'maquettes' of a full-size vehicle, I looked at a wide floor strewn with a totally dismembered BMW. It looked so brutal...

You did it again Phil Totally enjoyable and informative 👍

That was really interesting about the Ford plant. Being in the Dandenong area I certainly remember the days there of Holden before the upgrade of the Fishermans Bend plant in the 80s

Hi Phil! I enjoyed this video so thanks for your efforts to research it and provide it to us! I fly often into Melbourne Airport, and one of the landing approach paths goes right over this plant, and it's just surreal such a large facility is mainly vacant for many years. Also, advance congrats to you on reaching 10000 subscribers. A well deserved milestone for your excellent channel and content!

Congrats on 10k subscribers! Always excited to see your videos pop up in my feed. Tiny suggestion: when discussing places, consider showing where these locations are on a larger map so that those who are less familiar about some suburbs have a little more context. Keep it up. Love your work

My mum used to work in the computer room at Campbell field. Also the picture of the lady on the top right of the Geelong advertiser is Mary Budd. I used to work there. She's a great person and have very fond memories of her. Thanks Philip for the very interesting video.

Absolutely thoroughly enjoyed the video, Early congratulations on 10K well deserved 😊 Cheers🍺🍻 KC Cradle Mountain Tasmania Australia 🇦🇺🤝🇦🇺😎😊👍

I worked night shift, not at the Ford factory, but in a nearby component one. Yes, in the days, the Ford factory was working 24/7, and needed our parts urgently, and the company i worked at, would be heavily fined if we were late, and hence stopping production over the road. Nice video, and im sure it'll bring back both happy and sad memories to all.

The Campbellfield site was Ford Australia’s national headquarters NOT just manufacturing! That beautiful American style office building must be preserved .

Wow, this is a special place My father 33 years,, myself 10 years and my brother 13 years all worked there. I have very fond memories of working in the head office and other areas. This place needs to stay as it is. Ford may come back as a manufacturer or if war breaks out.... It can be used in that way.

Growing up in the middle-outer North of the Melbourne sprawl, we were just a couple of MILES south of the 'Broadmeadows' Ford strip, and passed frequently on day-trips out of the 'burbs. Last month I photographed my recently acquired 1995 Falcon ute, aesthetically parked outside the very flash looking Ford HQ building, which was and very much continues to be one of the most imposing architectural structures in Melbourne's north.

Well presented and delivered I did read that for the amount of state subsidies car manufactures received over the years the GOVT could give every aussie a free car ! Would be good if this material was included.

The petrol station kfc carls jr is the first stage to work on assembly and it will be complete soon

Great coverage as usual Philip. Cheers.

It's sad to see Ford go as I was an employee for 20 years at NPD (FCSD). I have heard that a few people died at the intersection of Barry Rd & Ford entrance before traffic lights were erected. Thanks for the nostalgic video.

My brother worked there for 27 years. started in the mailroom, and ended up just below VP. I drive past regularly but it is difficult to stop around there. Interesting to see what is happening.

Great video Philip New sub here I owned an Electroplating company in Glenbarry road (opposite the Ford Factory) in the late 90s and early 2000's we worked for all four of em at one point or another doing metal and plastic most people have no idea how big the supply chain was to the car manufacturers it reached into so many industries from couriers to packaging companies to takeaway food shops because every car needed thousands of parts and or materials and everyworker who either directly or indirectly worked in the industry spent their salaries from the proceeds of this huge market within the economy on food services homes etc they say Ford employed 2000 workers at Broady but it would be more like the flow on was 200,000 plus Car industry and supporting industries in Victoria alone it would have been closer to a Million jobs There was a number of reasons the industry died one was we didnt buy our own products we as time went on we all wanted imported fancy cars, the government claimed they propped it up for decades but so what it kept the country employed and paying taxes I can remember 2002-2003 Ford doing 450-500 falcons a day was the parts demand and Holden around 600 for the commodore the penalty if you stopped the line was $4000 a minute all though i never heard of anyone ever having to pay it maybe it was a myth or a threat but by 2004 with all the rumuors the writing was on the wall IT was sad time to see it go Mitsubishi was the first they went down to around 30 magnas a day from then it was all down hill. I left and went to QLD sadly so many companies and friends jobs dissapeared over the next few years I was born in Sydney and went to Melb for the work in my 20's and the multicultural experience was one of the best of my life so many great people from all races found their place in Melbourne and made it their home because of the manufacturing there And all the Wogs and the Skips we all got along great we respected each other and had pride to be in the Industry We need manufacturing in this country we built this country last century on manufacturing and farming and look at it all now all our kids have no idea what their in for IF you never had the oppurtunity to visit one of the plants they where Suburbs within a Suburb an Aussie Icon whether you like Ford or the other brands if you ever went to Geelong you could feel the soul of the place was built of the back of Ford. It would be a great fairytale to see it return one day sadly now in my 50's I dont think I'll ever see it

Awesome stuff watching 👀 now and I'll be back at the end 😊

Still miss the valiants

I have an urbex mate who's explored that factory. Fascinating place. Off topic, but do you think you could maybe do a video about 1998 Esso Longford gas explosion and the Victoria-wide 20 day gas outage that followed? I'm surprised nobody has done a video about it already and I was reminded of it recently after we had a gas leak and had no hot water for 3 days.

I used to deliver production components from off-site suppliers, to Broadmeadows. And in a Falcon. FG mk2 cab-chassis.

Thanks Phillip that was really interesting it was sad to see the closure of the Ford plant and the other vehicle manufacturers.

As a child I used to live in coolaroo, just a suburb over, I used to go past there every day on the way to school, and later in life on the way to work. Miss that place even though I’m a holden boy

The infamous Ford strike could be researched! 1973! Windows smashed, fences and brick wall pushed over! 😮

I have a Ford Falcon BFIII station wagon 2009.

Thanks that was very interesting I lived Broadmeadows for 36 years and drove passed the Ford Factory many many times

Bit like Australia now. An empty shell that doesn't produce anything, sold everything to overseas companies, we don't even own the water we drink. I'm glad I was see the future, it's not going to get any better.

i drive past the campbellfield site everyday to get to work...seeing what it has become is sad....but watching what it is becoming is also nice to see....

Well researched doco' .

The Head Office was affectionately called “The Chocolate Box”

Hi there. Nice, informative vid. My dad worked on the first Falcons down the line as a leadwiper in 1960. We are very proud of that. All of my cars (5) have been Falcons, and never an ounce of drama. Had a tidy XA GT coupe in the eighties. Should have kept that😂. Currently have two fg XR6’s. One sedan and a one tonner. Both vixen red and low mileage.

Worked at Venture and futuris as a casule for ruffly 2 years or more at each place. Best job I had.

Its a real shame we stopped manufacturing cars in Australia. I love fords and i own a couple of falcons. Many freinds and family had worked at ford for many years. Times have changed and unfortunately not for the better.

The REASON there are NO falcons or commodores anymore is simply people didn't want them...the market shifted away from Big 4 door family sedans...yet for decade's Ford and Holden continued to manufacture something the market no longer wanted

I'm more of a Holden follower than Ford myself, but your in-depth knowledge and presentation through this video made it interesting and well worth watching. If only you were able to have done a similar set of videos for Mitsubishi and Holden's factories in South Australia. Thanks for the video.

Brilliant!

The world is a changing place, things come and go all the time. The winners know when to get in and when to leave the game.

I remembered in 1997 when I was in Melbourne I often see Ford Falcon on street

i would say take a look at the old pipe works market but looking at the maps it got demolished already. i remember almost every time i would visit my cousins in Melbourne i would walk down the road to pipe works and look around enjoy some food it was nice. as a rural person i found Campbellfield nice its a busy place but no too busy like Coburg and the other areas closer to the CBD. the rumble of trucks rolling down Mahoneys at night was nice some how made sleeping easy.

Although Ford and Holden are essentially dead in Australia, the rivalry continues unabated. Go Ford!

Growing up in the 80's it seemed like every third person's dad worked at Ford.

Early November 1971 I went for my first Job Interview at the Admin Centre. At that time we had Full Employment. I wanted to get into CARS. I was offered a Postion in the Agricultural Division (Tractors), but turned that down.

The "Dramatic new Front End" on the first Ford Falcon was necessary to handle Australian Roads. Very different to the Hollywood Blvds smooth roads that the American design was.

I've walked past that little traffic light sign 5000 times I've only just noticed it

My XR6 Ute can see the TV from the car port .. don’t know if it was coolant but I think it shed a tear.

Toyota factory/factories?

These factories were funded by the taxpayers and should be resumed and utilised for the people. Housing commission land to provide many desperately needed homes.

A standing memorial to Australian political decisions. Also a reminder that we still pay a levy on all new cars to protect a car industry we no longer have. Sheesh. 🙄

I own a XH XR6 blue ford ute 96 model , always a minor problem But i love driving it

The best falcons were in the 70s same with Holden and Valiant

My father, and the family building company (EA WATTS PTY LTD ) built this in the 1960s

Pretty much the place where our BA XR6 Turbo Ford Falcon was assembled in 2004! :)

Great video, great history, thanks

Very depressing. Grew up in a Ford family.. dad had Fords long before I was born in the mid-60s. I remember the family XW, XY, XA, XB, XC.. we still had an XA for towing the boat when my sister bought an EA .. - that car broke the Ford spell. But later on, after I'd owned a few Commodores *ahem* I bought an ED, an EF + now have a BF2 Boss 260 sitting in the very garage where my dad parked that second XA. I bought it because my old man always championed the Ford V8.. Falcons ran through our family. Now they're all gone: mum, dad and all my siblings. All I have left is memories .. + that includes my Ford. There's no more of any of it. 😞

It’s a shame, I worked at Sydney plant for 10yrs as a vehicle painter before they decided to closed it down. Some of the fellow workers were 3 generation, were very gutted when doors closed.

Thanks for the content Philip

My Mum worked at the Ford Plastics plant for many years.

The tickford/former fpr team headquarters is still in Campelfield, not far from the assembly plant

Great video. I still have my 2012 Ford G6E which I will never sell.

Quick question that 97% of you will get wrong.... what was the first and only wholly Australian designed and built car??? The Falcon. All GM (every model) stuff was JV'd with Europe or USA, most of Ford was the same, until Ford Australia decided to design and build in Australia, a 100% designed and built Aussie product. The XA/AU/BA. And for FFS the 48 - 215 was a knock off from the USA. GM got paid the big bucks by the Australian taxpayer to build a car here and instead of investing, they just took our money and copied the USA design. With the amount of taxpayer money GM got they should have produced something original but they did not. GM screwed the Aussie taxpayer right royally right up to the end.

Great and informative video, well done to the creator.

there was talks of the upfield line continuing to end at craigieburn and either that line or the current craigieburn line continuing to donnybrook/beveridge as the housing estates there are growing.

So the yellow building in the background connect fastening systems is where my dad works

User name says it All; RIP mighty falcon