Kirklands
Bus and Coach Fleet
Austral Tourmaster DC122 1985
The 1929 -1932 depression forced Clarrie Kirkland back to the Northern Rivers from a driving job with Peters Ice Cream to take up banana growing on the outskirts of Nimbin and then venturing, with his brother Jim, into road transport. Little did he know at that time they would leave behind an important name in passenger transport history - not only on the North Coast of NSW but in Australia as a whole. Becoming the operators of the New England Motor Company in 1970 ensured that privilege and with the loyal and dedicated staff the amalgamation went quickly from a 40-vehicle fleet to 127 buses and coaches in just a few short years - one of the largest rural fleets in Australia.
It was a heart-rending decision to sell the business in 1986. As a member of the NSW Bus and Coach Association, we could see the dramatic changes ahead which meant huge capital injection merely to stay in the business. Licensing laws were about to change with deregulation, vehicle age and minimum service levels all about to impact. At this time Jim and Clarrie Kirkland Jnr. wished to retire and with most second-generation family enterprises, this created some major decisions for the good of the company. The rest is history.
White FC with a Watt Bros. body built in 1955 |
In 1966 Clarrie Kirkland died at the age of 62. Following this a company was formed known as Kirkland Brothers Omnibus Services Pty Ltd with Jim Kirkland as Managing Director and Clarrie's sons, Clarence Jnr, Kevin and Earl as Directors. Four years later in 1970 the company acquired the famous New England Motor Company. Whereas NemCo. was big by any standard when Clarrie and Jim made their hesitant entry into passenger transport in 1939, the Kirkland operation in the ensuing years had become bigger, but both companies were in different spheres of the business - New England Motor Company was a long distance regional and interstate operator; Kirkland's stamp had been impressed on middle distance, local services plus long distance tours and charters.
New England Motor Co. had become renowned for its network of routes which virtually covered the north- eastern corner of New South Wales, from Grafton in the south, Tenterfield in the west and Brisbane in the north. It had been serving the region since 1918. A total of 22 coaches were in the New England Motor Co. fleet when Kirklands took over. This move greatly increased Kirklands regional coverage and put the company into scheduled interstate operations. Although Kirklands had already operated a Lismore-Brisbane service 10 years prior to the takeover, an intrastate license was also granted to add an operation of a scheduled service from Ballina to Sydney eventually to grow from 1 million to 5 million passengers per year. The Ballina-Sydney service commenced in 1973 eventually operating 28 trips per week in both directions.
Volvo B10M with a Volgren body Sydney-Brisbane service 1987
Kirklands operated the first bus from mainland Australia
to Tasmania by vehicular ferry in a SB Bedford with an Athol Hedges body in 1960
First fully imported Double decker school buses on the North Coast of NSW
Leyland Atlantean with a Weymann body 1960
First air suspended coach on the North Coast of NSW
Hino RC320P with a Freighter body 1968
First Nissan coach in Australia. Chassis No.00001
Athol Hedges body 1973
First V8 Hino coach in Australia. RV730P Athol Hedges body 1974
First 40ft 12.2m Hino coach in the world RV730P with a Domino Hedges body 1975
MAN 22.280 double deck with an Austral Body
Automatic transmission Brisbane-Sydney 1989
While getting passengers from A to B in safety and comfort was the prime aim of Kirklands since the beginning, the company also had a great deal of experience at moving people around at a more leisurely rate. The company had extensive experience in the operation of bus and coach tours.
This experience began in 1953 when Kirklands purchased and amalgamated two local travel agencies. Bus trips to Tasmania were among some of the company's earliest tours.
When the vehicle ferry services began in 1960 Kirklands became the first coach company to use the one bus for the Tasmanian and mainland sections of the tour.
New England Motor Company which Kirklands aquired in 1970, had its own travel agency and this led to the establishment of a network of travel centres which included Casino, Ballina, Murwillumbah and Sydney although Kirklands concentrated on their bus and coach services.
The company eventually operated through more than 1000 agents across Australia.
But this did not stop them being at the forefront of organised tours in and out of Australia. The tours itineraries ranged from 5 to 31 days. These included accomodated tours to Tasmania and Victoria, Mountain and Reef Tours taking in Queenslands Darling Downs and The Great Barrier Reef, New South Wales outback Heritage Tours, New England Ranges, the Hunter Valley wineries, Blue Mountains returning via Port Stephens and Coffs Harbour.
Seven day Western Discovery Tours includind Lightning Ridge opal fields, Bourke and Cunamulla, returning via Dalby Toowoomba and Brisbane.
For those who really wanted to get away Kirklands Gulf and Reef Safaris enabled travellers to take in Uluru, Kakadu, Queenslands Gulf country and meeting up with the Great Barrier Reef before heading south. Kirklands provided all the materials, tents, activities, attractions, cooking gear and meals. They also expanded to operate to overseas destinations including New Zealand, Alaska, China and South America providing business and leisure tours.
Kirklands leaf suspended Denning Monocoach.
On tour at Uluru in 1978
The red centre. Outback camping site at Uluru
Austral Tourmaster DC122 built in 1989 heading west with safari trailer
across the Nullabor Plain
Five decades of passenger transport in Australia
Kirklands White with an MBA body 1947
Reo FC with a Watt Bros. body 1952
De Soto Side loader Lismore-Brisbane service 1961
German built Kassbohrer Setra Superliner 1986
Created by Neale Kirkland