Cobb & Co Coach and Buggy Builders, Charleville, 1900. This factory was opened in 1888. Collection of the Queensland Museum, Cobb+Co.

Collection of the Queensland Museum, Cobb+Co

Cobb & Co routes, Queensland 1885

QLD
Australia
1 January 1885
2 August 2010
2 August 2010

Location

QLD
Australia
Brisbane
1:3421440

Coach routes indicated by a double line. The transport routes in Queensland were already established in 1885. North-south transport along the coast was by steamship. Railway lines headed west from Brisbane, Rockhampton and Townsville. Cobb & Co took over where the rails stopped, linking western towns like Cunnamulla, Charleville, Tambo and Winton.  A “trip out” to a town like Winton became more uncomfortable the closer the traveller came to the destination; from the relative comfort of a bunk on a steamer, to the relative comfort of a railway carriage, to the cramped, rolling discomfort of dusty coach travel. Railway construction was already heading to Charleville (1888) and Longreach (1892) which would become major centres for Cobb & Co. The company moved its coach factory from Brisbane to Charleville in 1888.  Map of Queensland, Compiled & Lithographed from Official Maps, Brisbane, 1885. Collection of the National Library of Australia.

Cobb & Co's 'Royal Mail' Coach, Richmond, north Queensland, A.E. (Ted)  Richards, driver, 1906. Collection of Queensland Museum, Cobb+Co.

 Collection of Queensland Museum, Cobb+Co

There is often no road and the coach is taken at random through the forest… But the great miracle is the sudden pinches, looking as if they were almost perpendicular, do

Syndicate content