Subaru sets up shop at former Holden headquarters

Japanese car maker’s flagship dealer and ‘refreshed’ corporate identity planned for Holden’s former Port Melbourne headquarters.

Subaru Australia is setting up a new state-of-the-art dealership at the former Holden head office, metres away from where Australia’s first car was built more than 70 years ago.

Scheduled to open in the fourth quarter (October-November-December) of 2024, plans are underway for the new site – part of the Subaru Melbourne chain – at 191 Salmon Street, Port Melbourne, Victoria, which was formerly known within Holden as ‘HQ191’.

Subaru Australia told Drive the new Salmon Street dealership will be a model for the brand’s future outlets as a state-of-the-art ‘Subaru Experience Store’, using the car maker’s new corporate identity being rolled out across local showrooms.

The new venue replaces the Subaru Docklands showroom on Lorimer Street, Docklands, after it closed in March 2024, with the new location offering sales but separating servicing to a stand-alone location on nearby Ingles Street which remains open.

The Docklands site was also the company’s Australian marquee dealership when it opened in 2002 as ‘Subaru Interactive’, with the dealer later opening ‘Subaru do’ pop-up stores in shopping centres as a brand extension over its 23 years of operation.

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The building at 191 Salmon Street was formerly part of the broader Fishermans Bend complex where Australian car maker Holden was headquartered until it stopped manufacturing cars in 2017 and the brand  closed in 2020.

Holden ran its operations from the 20,400sqm Salmon Street offices from 2005, having left the previous Fishermans Bend headquarters – constructed after US car giant, General Motors, took over Holden in 1931 – at 251 Salmon Street, which is now offices for Boral.

The first Australian-made car – the Holden 48-215 sedan – was built metres away on the same street as part of the 37.7-hectare site, with the factory officially opened by Australian Prime Minister Joseph Lyons on 5 November 1936.

As well as administration, the complex sprawled across 171-197 Salmon Street to include assembly and engine plants – for Holden and other brands, including exports – as well as Australia’s first automotive design centre of any brand, established in 1964.

The original two-storey building at 251 Salmon Street is protected by the National Trust as a building of regional significance and a ‘substantially unaltered’ example of art-deco architecture.

General Motors Specialty Vehicles – which looks after Holden parts as well as Chevrolet and Cadillac brands in Australia – is now based at 80 Turner Street Port Melbourne, a short distance from the former Holden offices.

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