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.Kingsford Smith Mail Run Gascoyne Development CommissionSir Charles Kingsford-Smith Monuments Australia One of its early contracts was the mail run through the Gascoyne to Meekatharra.Local and General Northern Times 24 October 1929 page 2Remembering the Kingsford Smith mail run 90 years on ABC News 26 May 2014 It expanded to serve industries between Perth and the Pilbara.
GTC was a significant banana deliverer to markets in Perth. In 1950 it was purchased by Wesfarmers growing to become the largest transport operator in Western Australia.Acquisition of Gascoyne Trading WesfarmersHeytesbury buys back Bell Freightlines Canberra Times 6 May 1991 page 5 Until 1971 it held the sole rights for direct road transport between Carnarvon and Perth.Relaxation of restrictions on northern transport Truck & Bus Transportation October 1970 page 121 In 1973 a joint venture was formed with Downard to enter the interstate freight forwarding market between Western Australia and Victoria.Vic and WA transport groups in joint operation Freight & Container Transportation April 1973 page 8
In 1985, GTC purchased a 50% shareholding in Total West from Mayne Nickless.Gascoyne replaces Mayne Nickless in Total West venture Truck & Bus Transportation August 1985 page 60 In 1996, after taking full ownership of Total West, Wesfarmers merged it with GTC to form Wesfarmers Transport.Trading a Name Truck & Bus Transportation July 1996 page 83Wesfarmers annual report for year ended 30 June 1996 page 22 In 2001 the business was sold to Toll Holdings.Sale of WA road freight transport business Wesfarmers 2 November 2001
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