Greyhound Australia is an Australian coach operator that operates services in all mainland states and territories.
It is owned by Entrada Travel Group. The company was established in 1928 and is not affiliated with similarly named companies in other countries.
History
Greyhound Coaches was formed in Toowoomba in 1928 by Russell Penfold with a service between Toowoomba and Brisbane. In 1956 and again in 1962 Greyhound attempted to enter the interstate passenger express field but without success. In 1968, after entering the market a third time, the company succeeded in establishing services between Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide with Perth and Darwin added in the 1970s creating a national coach company."Greyhound Australia" Fleetline May 1988 page 115
In 1975, the South Australian operations were franchised to Adelaide operators, Murray Valley Coaches, and Stateliner."The odd coachfellows" The Age 25 September 1978
In November 1989, the Penfold family sold Greyhound Coaches to Stateliner with the exception of the Brisbane – Gold Coast and Brisbane – Toowoomba services that were sold separately."Stateliner takes over Greyhound" Australian Bus Panorama issue 5/5 March 1990 page 23 In 1992 Greyhound, Pioneer and Bus Australia merged with the combined operation rebranded Greyhound Pioneer Australia."Australian Coachlines Group" Australian Bus Panorama issue 9/5 January 1994 page 36Greyhound Australia's History Greyhound Australia
In February 1999, Queensland Coach Company was formed by Greyhound Pioneer Australia to body 94 Scania coaches over five years to renew the fleet."Express" Australian Bus Panorama April 1999 issue 14/5 page 19 Originally an alliance was formed with bodybuilder Alan B Denning with it proposed the Galaxy body design be used. However, following the collapse of the Clifford Corporation, the rights to the Austral Pacific Majestic body were purchased."Greyhound-Pioneer/Queensland Coach Co" Australian Bus Panorama October 1999 issue 15/2 page 21 In July 2000, Queensland Coach Company ceased trading and was put into administration."Greyhound/QCC/McCafferty's/Premier Motor Service" Australian Bus Panorama issue 16/1 August 2000 page 18
In March 2000, Greyhound Pioneer Australia entered discussions with McCafferty's Coaches about a potential merge."Greyhound Pioneer Australia" Australian Bus Panorama issue 15/5 April 2000 page 38Greyhound and McCaffertys talk Australasian Bus & Coach Subsequently Premier Motor Service made an unsuccessful takeover bid for the business.McCaffertys welcome Greyhound rejection Australasian Bus & Coach In September 2000, a takeover bid from McCafferty's was accepted."National & Manufacturing" Australian Bus Panorama issue 16/2 October 2000 page 19McCaffertys finally get Greyhound Australasian Bus & Coach
In October 2004, McCafferty's sold the combined business to ANZ Bank and George Chapman with both operations rebranded as Greyhound Australia. In 2006 ANZ sold its shares to KordaMentha.Greyhound deal to take backpackers along for ride Courier-Mail 3 October 2011
In 2005, the Sunshine Coast to Byron Bay services of Suncoast Pacific were purchased.Suncoast Pacific Coaches Bus Australia Fleet Lists In October 2011, the Oz Experience backpacker business was purchased.
In 2019, Greyhound Australia signed a three-month contract with BMD Group, a construction company that is building the railway from the planned Carmichael coal mine to Abbot Point. After the contract became public in early 2020, the Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation withdrew from its partnership with Greyhound and School Strike 4 Climate announced that it was planning to boycott the company. Greyhound subsequently announced that it would be withdrawing from the contract "following considered deliberation, and in the best interests of our staff, customers, and partners".
In February 2021, Greyhound Australia agreed terms to sell its Greyhound Resources business that provides mine transport for workers in the Bowen Basin, Hunter Valley, South Australia and Northern Territory to the Kinetic Group with 170 vehicles. The deal closed in April 2021.Greyhound Resources sold to Skybus-Kinetic Australasian Bus & Coach 4 February 2021
Some intrastate services in Queensland are subsidised by the Queensland Government.Long distance coaches Department of Transport & Main Roads 19 December 2014 In December 2021 Greyhound Australia recommenced servicing the intercity routes it lost in December 2014 to Bus Queensland Toowoomba.
Brisbane to Mount Isa via Toowoomba, Roma, Charleville, Augathella, Blackall, Longreach, Winton and Cloncurry Mount Isa to Brisbane via Cloncurry, Winton, Longreach, Blackall, Augathella, Charleville, Roma and Toowoomba Brisbane to Charleville via Toowoomba, Dalby, Chinchilla, Miles, Roma, Mitchell and Morven Charleville to Brisbane via Morven, Mitchell, Roma, Miles, Chinchilla, Dalby and Toowoomba
In December 2023, it was announced that Entrada Travel Group would acquire Greyhound Australia.
There was a crash involving a Greyhound bus on the Bruce Highway in north Queensland on 30 June 2024, resulting in three fatalities.
In February 2025 it was announced that Natalie (Tilly) Loughborough had been appointed the new Chief Operating Officer of Greyhound Australia, effective 20 March 2025.
Routes Greyhound Australia routes as at March 2025 include:
Former routes Adelaide to Perth Nullarbor Plain service ran from the 1970s until 2005Nullarbor bus service proves too costly ABC News 10 October 2005 Melbourne to Toowoomba ceased March 2013Greyhound drop Melbourne-Toowoomba, Perth-Broome services Backpacker Trade News 14 February 2013Greyhound cancels runs Australasian Bus & Coach 1 March 2013 Broome to Perth Lithgow to Gulgong and Coonabarabran to Baradine under contract to CountryLink (between July 2010 and June 2014).CountryLink Greyhound CommercialWestern timetable NSW TrainLink 20 October 2013Contract Award Notice Detail – S09014 NSW Government eTendering 1 December 2010 Canberra to Wagga Wagga ceased in August 2017 Darwin to Jabiru ceased in January 2020.
Other services Greyhound Australia introduced freight delivery services in 1985, and transports more than 220,000 items annually to 120+ locations in Australia.
Fleet In the 1970s, Greyhound imported a fleet of Eagle 05 and 10 coaches.Greyhound Driver Bus Lines In the 1980s it purchased Austral Tourmasters and Volgren bodied Volvo B10Ms. In 1995, it standardized on Scania coaches. When merging with McCafferty's in 2004 it inherited Austral Denning Highlanders, Denning Denairs, Denning Landseers (including their high deck variants) and Motorcoach Australia Marathons and Classics. More recently it has purchased Iveco, Mercedes-Benz and Volvos. As at January 2021, the fleet consisted of 228 coaches.Greyhound Australia Bus Australia Fleet Lists In the 1970s, Greyhound adopted an orange and white livery. In 1993 a grey, white and blue livery was introduced following the formation of Greyhound Pioneer Australia. McCafferty's gold livery was applied when it took over the business in 2000 before the current red livery was introduced in 2004.
Other Greyhound operations Despite its name, Greyhound Australia has never had any affiliation with Greyhound Lines, Greyhound Canada, Greyhound Mexico or Greyhound UK.
Gallery
References
External links
Showbus Greyhound gallery Showbus Greyhound Pioneer Australia gallery Showbus Greyhound Australia gallery