From one-of-a-kind wonders to country song inspirations and plain old speed machines, Ray Richardson’s shed is dotted with cars that could each tell a tale or two.
The sapphire miner is known in central Queensland for his famous gem collection, but cars are where the self-proclaimed revhead’s true passion lies.
“It’s just a joy to come and sit out here and say, ‘Well, they’re all pretty special’,” he said.
“I’ve always been a revhead, so they’ve got to be able to get up pretty quick … and I just love travelling business class.”
Among the 25 cars and 15 bikes is a Bentley once owned by Davy Jones of The Monkees fame.
“[But] the pink Cadillac is probably the favourite,” he said.
That striking 1957 pink Cadillac, with the number plate ELVIS, is hard to miss.
Taking out the best-car award at the recent Elvis Presley festival in Parkes, the car has 8,700 miles (14,000 kilometres) on the clock, spending much of the past 45 years in showrooms.
The collection mostly remains on Mr Richardson’s property, but he does drive them for weddings or formals. He also took a handful out for a spin recently at the region’s annual Gemfields festival.
The fleet usually prompts a “huge” reaction from admiring tourists.
“[They say,] ‘fancy running into these cars out here at Anakie’. It’s the last thing they expect to see when they come out here,” Mr Richardson said.
“It does blow people away, especially if I pull up at the Rubyvale pub or something and I’m driving the pink Cadillac.
“They don’t expect to see it … that’s what it’s all about, that’s where the fun is.”
One of a kind
Years ago, in his early 20s, Mr Richardson’s pride and joy was his De Tomaso Pantera.
Motorhead fever struck, and his passion for cars grew from there — particularly ramping up in the past 15 years.
“Then someone would ring up and say there’s a nice car for sale, so I would do a bit of research on it and end up negotiating a deal on it,” he said.
“They’ve all got a little bit of significance,” Mr Richardson said, gesturing to his Shelby in the back of the shed.
“It’s one of the last Carroll Shelby made before he died and one of only three in Australia.”
Among the collection is also a one-of-a-kind 1979 Mini Moke.
“They only ever made two, and they wrecked one in testing, and this one was put away and has only done 194 miles,” Mr Richardson said.
Strolling through the mix of shining metal and loud exhausts is also a 1964 Mustang, one of the first off the assembly line.
Behind the shed, meanwhile, an eye-catching blue Buick beckons.
Once owned by country music singer Red Rivers, Mr Richardson said the car inspired the tune Baby Blue Buick.
The shed isn’t just for storing collectable cars and bikes, there’s also a 1950s American diner which Mr Richardson often uses for grading gems — in part thanks to the illuminating afternoon light.
“It was just a bit of a theme for the kids; you drive down my driveway and there’s an American garage on the street with the bowsers out the front and the diner on the corner with lots of Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe in there.”
Mr Richardson has no plans to put the fleet in any formal display, and there’s one general rule when he’s looking for a possible new acquisition — it can’t be a Holden.