A story in yesterday's Otago Daily Times said the three Cadbury vehicles were ''so far unwanted'' as the company tried to give its heritage collection to Dunedin institutions.
Toitu Otago Settlers Museum had turned down the vehicles but Cadbury site manager Judith Mair said Cadbury had not given up on finding somewhere in the city for them, the story said.
Restoration society vice-president Gary Byford contacted the ODT yesterday and said, ''We'd hate to see them disappear from Dunedin.''
It was ''very, very important'' the vehicles were retained - ''it's part of Dunedin's heritage''.
The charitable society had restored many old fire engines and was also willing to safeguard the Cadbury vehicles, he said.
Society president Joe Hayde later contacted Ms Mair and said the Burnside-based society hoped to establish a more central city museum next year, and was willing to safeguard the vehicles and associated Cadbury memorabilia and display them.
Mr Hayde was now ''more hopeful'' the vehicles would not be ''lost to Dunedin''.
Southern Heritage Trust founder Ann Barsby said many people wanted the vehicles retained, and they should be kept together with other Cadbury memorabilia.
The long Hudson and Cadbury legacy was ''so significant for the city'' and it was ''vital'' the vehicles were kept in the city, she said.
Ms Mair acknowledged the concerns of Dunedin people that the vehicles be retained, and said the vehicles and other memorabilia that were part of the ''Cadbury story'' should be kept together.
There was a process to be worked through to determine where the items could best be safeguarded, she said.
Representatives of the Tapanui-based West Otago Vintage Club and the
East Otago Vintage Machinery Club in Palmerston both said their groups would set up displays featuring the Cadbury vehicles if a way to keep them in Dunedin could not be found.
