Government House Queensland
The Government House Rolls-Royce is normally the centre of attention when it is used on major occasions such as ANZAC Day, the opening of Parliament and the Ekka.
However, the 1972 Phantom VI was in some head-turning company today, when the Rolls Royce Owners’ Club of Australia visited with the Governor of Queensland, Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM.
Members of the club’s Queensland Branch brought with them a collection of some of the most esteemed and valuable cars in the world.
Among them was this 1967 Phantom V, a 1960 Silver Cloud II, a 1972 Corniche convertible, and a 1995 Silver Spirit III.
The custom-made Phantom V, an almost 7-metre-long vehicle bought by the Australian government in 1967, was the preferred vehicle of Queen Elizabeth II during her visits to Australia
It is now owned by the Sir Henry Royce Foundation and is normally on display in their Coolum Beach showroom, along with 28 other historical cars.
Foundation Trustee Frank Carroll said while the focus of the club’s visit was meeting Her Excellency and touring Government House, it was “nice to have the added attraction of a Phantom VI”, referring to the gubernatorial Rolls-Royce.
“These aren’t just cars, these are Rolls-Royces, the best car in the world since 1906,” he said.
Dean Prangley, bought his Silver Cloud with his father at auction in Brisbane, having first come across it years earlier. He said there were only a few thousand in existence.
“When I was 18, I rode in that car, so I know it from new,” he said.
“We only found out it was the same car when we researched it. You wouldn’t believe it, would you.”
So what’s special about a Rolls-Royce?
“Well for me it’s the craftsmanship. They were beautifully put together, well-engineered, and it’s a different experience to sitting in an everyday car, it really is,” says Barrie Fletton, who has owned his 1972 Corniche convertible for 16 years.
“I’ve always loved English cars. You could buy about three English houses for the price of one of these when they were new, back then.”
He says he often drives with the top down and has proved popular with friends needing transport on a special occasion, such as a wedding, but that otherwise, it was “just a toy”, albeit an expensive one.
“You wouldn’t want to leave it idling – it chews a bit of juice,” he says of the 6.75-litre V8 engine.
The Governor delighted in talking to the group about their vehicles.
She said she envisaged being able to convert the gubernatorial Rolls-Royce to run on electricity but stressed the original engine would be preserved for future use.
