Gascoyne Trading Company

Gascoyne Trading Company
IndustryTransport
Founded1924
FounderKeith Anderson
Charles Kingsford Smith
Defunct1996
Headquarters
Carnarvon, Western Australia
OwnerWesfarmers

Gascoyne Trading Company (GTC) was a transport company in Western Australia. It was established in 1924 by Keith Anderson and Charles Kingsford Smith in Carnarvon.[1][2] One of its early contracts was the mail run through the Gascoyne to Meekatharra.[3][4] It expanded to serve industries between Perth and the Pilbara.[5][6]

GTC was a significant banana deliverer to markets in Perth.[7] In 1950 it was purchased by Wesfarmers growing to become the largest transport operator in Western Australia.[8][9] Until 1971 it held the sole rights for direct road transport between Carnarvon and Perth.[10] In 1973 a joint venture was formed with Downard to enter the interstate freight forwarding market between Western Australia and Victoria.[11]

In 1985, GTC purchased a 50% shareholding in Total West from Mayne Nickless.[12] In 1996, after taking full ownership of Total West, Wesfarmers merged it with GTC to form Wesfarmers Transport.[13][14] In 2001 the business was sold to Toll Holdings.[15]

Notes

  1. ^ Kingsford Smith Mail Run Gascoyne Development Commission
  2. ^ Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith Monuments Australia
  3. ^ Local and General Northern Times 24 October 1929 page 2
  4. ^ Remembering the Kingsford Smith mail run 90 years on ABC News 26 May 2014
  5. ^ "Mail Company's Representation". Northern Times. Vol. XXXI, no. 1823. Western Australia. 23 September 1938. p. 9. Retrieved 17 November 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Unique trailer for Gascoyne Traders". Hamersley News. Vol. VIII, no. 21. Western Australia. 6 November 1975. p. 8. Retrieved 17 November 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Gascoyne Trading Co". Northern Times. Vol. 70, no. 22. Western Australia. 3 June 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 17 November 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ Acquisition of Gascoyne Trading Wesfarmers
  9. ^ Heytesbury buys back Bell Freightlines Canberra Times 6 May 1991 page 5
  10. ^ Relaxation of restrictions on northern transport Truck & Bus Transportation October 1970 page 121
  11. ^ Vic and WA transport groups in joint operation Freight & Container Transportation April 1973 page 8
  12. ^ Gascoyne replaces Mayne Nickless in Total West venture Truck & Bus Transportation August 1985 page 60
  13. ^ Trading a Name Truck & Bus Transportation July 1996 page 83
  14. ^ Wesfarmers annual report for year ended 30 June 1996 page 22
  15. ^ Sale of WA road freight transport business Wesfarmers 2 November 2001