About Us
Nathalia Coachlines is a family-owned business, providing school bus and coach charter services throughout the Greater Nathalia Region.
History kindly provided by Kevin Bourke
1936
In 1936 some district residents including the late Horace Moloney and Tom Myers convened a meeting to endeavour to arrange with the Education Department a service to transport students from Barmah East to Nathalia Higher Elementary School to further their education without having to board away from home.
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The Department decided to trial a school bus service with the parents providing half the contract funds and the Government would subsidise the other half thus starting the first bus service in the district.
The Picola postmaster, the late Ken McLeod was successful in operating the first contract for the bus service, taking about eight children to Nathalia in a sedan car. After the trail period, he did not seek the contract the next year and Roy Bohn was the successful tenderer, providing services in a tourer car.
It was difficult at first to keep up the numbers, so the sponsors had to look further afield and students were taken from Picola West, Picola North and Yielima – often over very difficult roads in wet weather.
The Jailbar Ford Chassis School Bus serviced Picola North
1940
Throughout the early 1940’s, numbers increased, and the need for a bus was apparent, so the first bus was put into operation. The route then was from James Bridge, Barmah, Barmah East, then to Picola, Picola West, Picola North and Yielima, then onto Nathalia - a distance of about 37 miles.
This distance was too great, but after the war, numbers again increased and a second bus was put into operation making two routes. About that time, Barmah East and Narioka Schools closed and Primary children had to be taken to Nathalia Primary School.
As a result, the Department decided to pay the full cost of transport. The Barmah to Nathalia route extended to pick up children from Narioka area. Picola West, Picola North and Yielima also closed, so the other bus completed the Picola via Yielima run. Both buses taking children to all schools in Nathalia.
At this time the Bohn family shifted from Narioka to live in Nathalia, and a bus depot was set up in the town, where bus drivers were more readily available.
The school bus which commuted between Nathalia & Barmah in 1950
1975
Roy Bohn and Lyn Elliot went into partnership expanding the bus service still further. Another four buses were acquired to cater for the increasing numbers of children in the district needing education in Nathalia.
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In 1975, these men sold their fleet of buses which had served almost all of the Nathalia Shire.
In 1975 Bohn and Elliott sold the Business in two lots with Lot 1 consisting of three Contracts and vehicles was sold/transferred to Peter and Shirley Gallagher (Shirley being Lynn Elliotts Daughter) and Lot 2 consisting of three contracts and vehicles were sold to F.P. & M.A. Mortimer, with Frank and Margaret running yet a seventh Contract for some years
Ross Curtis was driving and maintaining the growing fleet for Peter and Shirley Gallagher and continues in this role 30+ years later, working with the Mortimer Family and then the Joyce Family.
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Peter & Shirley Gallagher
1989
In 1989, the Mortimer Family purchased the three contracts from Peter & Shirley Gallagher to bring all Nathalia School Services under one ownership structure. Throughout this time, the Mortimer Family invested heavily in the Nathalia Community and support a wide range of community & sporting groups.
2020
In 2020, after 45 years servicing the Nathalia community, the Mortimer Family elected to sell the six school contracts to the Joyce Family from Wangaratta, with the Joyce Family continuing to serve the Greater Nathalia Region and continue the tradition of family operated bus services for the local Nathalia community.
The Nathalia Coachlines Depot