About Redding Holden

Redding Motors began in 1968, in Atherton’s main street selling the newly released HK model Holden’s which replaced the HR model. Founder Gordon Redding, a Regular Army Officer, join GMAC as a field representative operating out of Cairns upon leaving the army which was an excellent introduction to the motor industry. Three years later Gordon joined FR Ireland and Co. as a sales representative and later was appointed a sales supervisor. This was a good move for after 10 successful years with Irelands Gordon and the Ireland family formed an association commencing with the Redding Motors Holden dealership. Gordon selected Atherton in the heart of the Atherton Tablelands as the location of the dealership opening on Australia Day long weekend, in a set of buildings that included an ex-WW2 army igloo. The next year Gordon’s son Mark was born and so too the makings of a Redding dynasty.

The business prospered and was in need of bigger premises by the early seventies. The old Peanut Marketing Board building was a prime location and after some renovations it became an ideal location for a dealership and service department being visible all the way up Main Street. In 1975 Redding Motors moved into its current location of 2 Cook Street Atherton. Incidentally this site was the first surveyed block in Priors Creek Crossing which was later renamed Atherton.

The dealership continued to grow and a decade later, the business expanded further with the inclusion of the Mitsubishi distributorship. It was recognised by Holden as Service Dealer of the Year three times and in 1985 won the Time Magazine Dealer of the Year Award for Queensland.

Meanwhile, Mark had completed most of his schooling in Atherton and, at 18 began his dealer principal’s career plan with a mechanic’s apprenticeship in the workshop. When completed he spent six months in Cairns with Irelands as a parts interpreter and service advisor before investing another four years as a trainee manager in Townsville with Tony Ireland Holden. In 1995, now married to Debi, he rejoined the family business as sales manager and in the following year took out two Australia-wide Sales Manager of the Year Awards from Holden. In July 2000, he took over the reins completely as dealer principal allowing Gordon and wife Kerri to pursue their retirement interests.

The dealership continues to develop: they were one of the first Queensland country dealers to qualify for Quality Assurance – they opened a Satellite Service Centre in neighbouring Mareeba in 1999, which became a full Holden branch in 2003 – 21 full time staff are employed, some of whom have been with the company for two decades and more recently were appointed as Honda distributors in April 2008. A highlight for the Redding’s and their employee’s has been supplying new and quality used cars to a second generation of loyal clients, some of who have bought many cars from the dealership over the years.

And the future? - Often seen running around the dealership are two little nippers, Alex and Keely who are getting to know the ropes and perhaps one day may take on the Redding Motors dynasty to make it three generations.