 | |
 Rover Coaches Iveco Metro Express | |
| Parent | Buslines Group |
|---|---|
| Commenced operation | 1925 |
| Headquarters | Cessnock |
| Service area | Hunter Valley |
| Service type | Bus & coach operator |
| Routes | 11 |
| Depots | 3 |
| Fleet | 59 (February 2024) |
| Website | www.rovercoaches.com.au |
Rover Coaches is an Australian bus company operating services in the Hunter Valley. It is a subsidiary of Buslines Group.
In 1925, George Ryder purchased two small bus operators, the South Maitland Motor Company and the Marble Bar Motor Service, and named the company Rover Motors. Ryder was soon joined in the business by Rab Lewis. In the 1930s, Rover Motors introduced the first centre-door double decker buses in Australia and purchased the Cessnock to Maitland service from the Fogg family. In 1944, Rover Motors introduced the first semi-trailer bus in New South Wales. In the 1940s, the Fogg and Mordue families become part owners of the business. [1] [2] [3]
By the 1950s, services ran to Maitland every half-hour from 04:30 until midnight. Services commenced to Wangi Wangi and Swansea on Friday nights, returning on Sundays. Services commenced operating to transport employees to the BHP Newcastle Steelworks. In the 1960s, Rover Motors begins operating coach tours to the Gold Coast and Snowy Mountains. With the withdrawal of passenger services from the South Maitland Railway to Cessnock, Rover Motors began operating services to Newcastle on 3 October 1967. [2] [4]
In the 1970s, Rover Motors opened a travel agency and began operating tours across Australia as well as providing overseas and domestic travel arrangements. In 1986, the Lewis and Mordue families terminated their shared interests in Rover Motors and Hunter Valley Coaches, with the Lewis family taking full ownership of Rover and the Mordue family, Hunter Valley. [2] [5]
In July 2009, a Cessnock to Morisset station service was introduced. [6] [7]
In December 2022, the Lewis family sold Rover Coaches to Buslines Group. [8] [9] The Rover name will be retained.
Since September 2006, Rover's services have formed Sydney Outer Metropolitan Bus Region 1. [10] It primarily operates services from Cessnock to Maitland, with limited services to Morisset and Newcastle Interchange.
As at 20th of February 2024, the fleet consisted of 59 buses and coaches. [11] Rover was a long time Leyland purchaser, continuing to build up its fleet with second-hand Tigers long after it had gone out of production. [12] The original all red livery was replaced by red and white in the 1980s, and white and red in the late 1990s. In 2012, the Transport for NSW white and blue livery was adopted for route buses.
Rover Coaches operate a depot and overflow yard in Cessnock as well as a depot in Kurri Kurri.
Morisset is a commercial centre and suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie local government area in the Hunter region in New South Wales, Australia. Morisset is a part of the Greater Newcastle area, it is located west of the lake of Lake Macquarie just off the M1 Pacific Motorway. It is also located approximately halfway between Gosford and the Newcastle CBD. The count at the 2016 Census was 3,213 for the gazetted suburb of Morisset. The estimated urban population of the Morisset area, including Cooranbong, was 25,662 as at June 2019. The area has experienced moderate growth over the five years to 2019 with an average year-on-year rate of 1.79 percent.
Cessnock is a city in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia, about 52 km (32 mi) by road west of Newcastle. It is the administrative centre of the City of Cessnock LGA and was named after an 1826 grant of land called Cessnock Estate, which was owned by John Campbell. The local area was once known as "The Coalfields", and it is the gateway city to the vineyards of the Hunter Valley, which includes Pokolbin, Mount View, Lovedale, Broke, Rothbury, and Branxton.
Maitland railway station is located on the Main Northern line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the city of Maitland opening on in 1880 as West Maitland being renamed on 1 April 1949. It is the junction station for the Main Northern and North Coast lines. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
Morisset railway station is located on the Main Northern line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the City of Lake Macquarie suburb of Morisset opening on 15 August 1887 as Morrisset being renamed on 1 February 1889.
Kurri Kurri is a small town in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, in the Cessnock LGA. At the 2016 census, its population was 6,044. Kurri Kurri is the largest town in a group of towns and hamlets, including Stanford Merthyr, Pelaw Main, Weston, Abermain and Heddon Greta, called Kurri Kurri – Weston by the ABS. Its estimated population was 17,241 at 2016 census.
Busways is an Australian bus company operating services in Sydney, and in the Central Coast, Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales and Adelaide. It is the largest privately owned bus operator in Australia.
The Newcastle Rugby League is a local rugby league football competition in Newcastle, Australia. It is one of the oldest rugby league competitions in Australia, founded in 1910. A Newcastle representative team was also assembled from players in the League during most of the 20th century. The first grade competition also comprises the NSWRL Presidents Cup Northern Conference.
The Buslines Group is an Australian bus operator in New South Wales and is the third largest private bus operator in New South Wales.
Newcastle bus routes connect suburbs in and around Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, about 100 kilometres north of Sydney.
The South Maitland Railway was once an extensive network of privately owned colliery and passenger railway lines which served the South Maitland coalfields in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia and were the second last system in Australia to use steam haulage, having used steam locomotives until 1983.
CDC Canberra, formerly Qcity Transit, is an Australian bus operator based in Queanbeyan, New South Wales. It operates services from Queanbeyan to Canberra, Bungendore and Yass. It is a subsidiary of ComfortDelGro Australia.
Sid Fogg's is an Australian bus and coach charter company based in Fullerton Cove in the Hunter Region of New South Wales.
Deanes Coaches was an Australian bus company operating route bus services and charter coaches on Sydney's North Shore.
Dysons is a bus and coach operator in Victoria, Australia.
Gillieston Heights is a suburb of the City of Maitland local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, approximately 5.1 km (3.2 mi) from the Maitland CBD. Prior to 1967, the village was named East Greta however this was changed to honour former Maitland mayor and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly John Gillies following a poll of residents. At the 2021 census, Gillieston Heights had a population of 4,796.
Port Stephens Coaches is an Australian bus company operating services in Port Stephens and the Hunter Region.
Cliftleigh is a small suburb, and planned development in the City of Cessnock, New South Wales, Australia. It is 27.8 kilometres (17 mi) north-west from Newcastle, and 17 kilometres (11 mi) east-northeast from Cessnock.
The South Maitland Railways railcar was a class of diesel railcar built by Tulloch Limited for the South Maitland Railway (SMR) in 1961.
Hunter Valley Buses is an Australian bus operator who operates bus, coach and charter services in the Central Coast and Hunter regions of New South Wales. Previously known as Blue Ribbon, it was one of the first companies to be bought by ComfortDelGro Cabcharge in 2005, now ComfortDelGro Australia.
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