Nuffield (Australia) Pty. Ltd. commenced assembly of Morris vehicles in 1946 in Zetland,
Sydney at Victoria Park. The Victoria Park Zetland site was purchased by Viscount Nuffield
personally and was later sold to the Nuffield Organisation in UK. The marques produced by
the Nuffield Organisation were M.G., Morris, Riley and Wolseley.
Austin Motor Company of Australia Ltd
Nuffield (Australia) Pty Ltd
The Austin Motor Company of Australia Ltd. was formed in 1948 and purchased the plant of
Ruskin Bodyworks Ltd. for assembly of Austin vehicles.
The British Motor Corporation (Australia) Pty. Ltd. (BMC-A) was formed in 1954 and was composed of:
•
The Austin Motor Company (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
•
Nuffield (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
•
Fisher & Ludlow (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
The BMC vehicle marques, in addition to the Nuffield marques, were Austin, and Austin Healey. The Zetland site ultimately
became the focus for the manufacture of BMC passenger vehicles in Australia.
In 1966, British Motor Holdings Ltd. (BMH) was formed by the merger of BMC, Pressed Steel Company and Jaguar Cars Ltd. in
the UK. BMH was not established in Australia, but as a result of the UK merger, BMC-A took on distribution, sales and support for
Jaguar Cars Ltd. The marques, in addition to BMC marques, were Daimler and Jaguar.
Rover Australia Pty Ltd was formed in 1956. Land Rover vehicles were manufactured by Pressed Metal
Corporation Ltd at Enfield in Sydney, partially owned by Rover Australia. In 1965, Leyland Motors ceased to be a
branch of the UK Leyland company and became registered in Australia in its own right as the Leyland Motor
Corporation of Australia Pty Ltd. In 1968, as a result of the merger between Rover and Leyland in UK, Rover
Australia Pty Ltd became a member company with BLMC-Australia and the head office was transferred to
Footscray. In 1969, the assets of Rover Australia were formally sold to the British Leyland Motor Corporation of
Australia Ltd and operated as a separate division within that company. In March 1972, the old Leyland Motor
Corporation of Australia Pty Ltd changed its name to Satmon Pty Ltd - an investment company.
The British Leyland Motor Corporation of Australia Pty Ltd (BLMC-A) was formed in August 1968 after the merger
of BMH and Leyland Motor Corporation in UK. It merged the interests of The British Motor Corporation (Australia)
Pty Ltd and The Leyland Motor Corporation of Australia Pty Ltd. The newly formed company consisted of four
divisions:
•
Austin Morris Division
•
Specialist Car Division
•
Truck and Bus Division
•
Parts and Accessories Division
In October 1969, the company changed its name to British Leyland Motor Corporation of Australia Ltd. In 1969,
the assets of Rover Australia Ltd were sold to the British Leyland Motor Corporation of Australia Ltd. The head
office for Rover Australia Pty Ltd was transferred to Sydney. By the end of 1969, Land Rover, Rover and Triumph
marques had been added to the Company’s passenger vehicle range. The Truck and Bus Division produced
Leyland, Albion, Scammell, A.E.C, Thornycroft truck and bus chassis as well as diesel engines for industrial
applications and marine engines.
The British Motor Corporation (Australia) Pty Ltd
Leyland Motors Ltd
Leyland Motors Ltd in UK set up an Australian branch in 1919 as a manufacturer/assembler of truck and bus.
In 1954, Leyland Motors merged with Albion Motors Ltd, and then shortly afterwards, with Scammell Lorries
Ltd. A new factory at Footscray in Melbourne was established in 1958. In UK, Leyland Motors purchased
Standard-Triumph. In Australia, the Standard-Triumph range was manufactured by Australia Motor Industries
Ltd in Melbourne (formed in 1952) who also assembled Rambler and later, Toyota vehicles.
Rover Australia Pty Ltd/ Leyland Motor Corporation of Australia Pty Ltd
British Leyland Motor Corporation of Australia Pty Ltd
The Leyland Motor Corporation of Australia Ltd., commonly referred to as Leyland Australia, was formed in March
1972. Leyland Australia was formed as a result of a name change from the British Leyland Motor Corporation to
British Leyland Ltd. in UK. In March 1973, the vehicle marque names Morris and Austin were replaced with the
Leyland marque. The BMC marque, used for Commercials and Moke, was also discontinued. Australia was the
only country to introduce the Leyland marque for passenger vehicles and passenger vehicle derivatives - except
for vehicles exported to New Zealand CBU and CKD and other export countries mainly in the Pacific region for
Moke vehicles.
Leyland Motor Corporation of Australia Ltd
Jaguar Rover Australia Ltd (JRA)
In March 1982, Jaguar Rover Australia Ltd took over all the assets and responsibilities of Leyland Motor
Corporation Australia Ltd. Leyland Australia then ceased trading. The Company had four divisions:
•
JRA Cars – distributors for Jaguar, Rover, Range Rover, and Peugeot whereby vehicles were purchased
from Austin Rover UK, Jaguar Cars, Land Rover Ltd, Peugeot and Honda.
•
Land Rover Australia – assemblers of V8 petrol Series III from CKD packs as well as diesel vehicles with the
Isuzu diesel engine being imported CBU from Japan, and also local design and manufacture of some Land
Rover derivatives.
•
JRA Bus and Coach – a manufacturers of bus bodies and coaches, as well as importers and distributors of
bus chassis from Hino Japan and Leyland Bus UK. Buses were assembled at both Revesby and Adelaide
facilities.
•
JRA Parts – which importers and distributors of parts for selected past and current models of Jaguar,
Peugeot, Rover, Austin Morris, MGB, Triumph, Range Rover, Land Rover and Leyland and Hino buses as
well as accessories for these vehicles.
JRA Holdings Ltd
In February 1987, a new company JRA Holdings acquired the whole of the share capital of JRA Ltd from the Austin
Rover parent for $66.6M. Receivers were appointed in June 1992.
Clifford Corporation Ltd
In 1997, the Clifford Corporation Ltd bought out JRA Holdings Ltd, which was by then predominantly a bus and coach
manufacturer, other divisions having been sold off or closed. in late 1998, Clifford collapsed and was wound up.
LEARN MORE
Leyland Cars in Australia: a Chronicle
by Tony Cripps
COMPANY HISTORY
Nuffield (Australia) Pty. Ltd. commenced assembly of Morris
vehicles in 1946 in Zetland, Sydney at Victoria Park. The
Victoria Park Zetland site was purchased by Viscount Nuffield
personally and was later sold to the Nuffield Organisation in UK.
The marques produced by the Nuffield Organisation were M.G.,
Morris, Riley and Wolseley.
Austin Motor Company
of Australia Ltd
Nuffield (Australia) Pty Ltd
The Austin Motor Company of Australia Ltd. was formed in
1948 and purchased the plant of Ruskin Bodyworks Ltd. for
assembly of Austin vehicles.
The British Motor Corporation (Australia) Pty. Ltd. (BMC-A) was
formed in 1954 and was composed of:
•
The Austin Motor Company (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
•
Nuffield (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
•
Fisher & Ludlow (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
The BMC vehicle marques, in addition to the Nuffield marques,
were Austin, and Austin Healey. The Zetland site ultimately
became the focus for the manufacture of BMC passenger
vehicles in Australia.
In 1966, British Motor Holdings Ltd. (BMH) was formed by the
merger of BMC, Pressed Steel Company and Jaguar Cars Ltd.
in the UK. BMH was not established in Australia, but as a result
of the UK merger, BMC-A took on distribution, sales and support
for Jaguar Cars Ltd. The marques, in addition to BMC marques,
were Daimler and Jaguar.
Rover Australia Pty Ltd was formed in 1956. Land Rover
vehicles were manufactured by Pressed Metal Corporation
Ltd at Enfield in Sydney, partially owned by Rover Australia.
In 1965, Leyland Motors ceased to be a branch of the UK
Leyland company and became registered in Australia in its
own right as the Leyland Motor Corporation of Australia Pty
Ltd. In 1968, as a result of the merger between Rover and
Leyland in UK, Rover Australia Pty Ltd became a member
company with BLMC-Australia and the head office was
transferred to Footscray. In 1969, the assets of Rover
Australia were formally sold to the British Leyland Motor
Corporation of Australia Ltd and operated as a separate
division within that company. In March 1972, the old
Leyland Motor Corporation of Australia Pty Ltd changed its
name to Satmon Pty Ltd - an investment company.
The British Leyland Motor Corporation of Australia Pty Ltd
(BLMC-A) was formed in August 1968 after the merger of
BMH and Leyland Motor Corporation in UK. It merged the
interests of The British Motor Corporation (Australia) Pty Ltd
and The Leyland Motor Corporation of Australia Pty Ltd. The
newly formed company consisted of four divisions:
•
Austin Morris Division
•
Specialist Car Division
•
Truck and Bus Division
•
Parts and Accessories Division
In October 1969, the company changed its name to British
Leyland Motor Corporation of Australia Ltd. In 1969, the
assets of Rover Australia Ltd were sold to the British Leyland
Motor Corporation of Australia Ltd. The head office for Rover
Australia Pty Ltd was transferred to Sydney. By the end of
1969, Land Rover, Rover and Triumph marques had been
added to the Company’s passenger vehicle range. The Truck
and Bus Division produced Leyland, Albion, Scammell, A.E.C,
Thornycroft truck and bus chassis as well as diesel engines
for industrial applications and marine engines.
The British Motor Corporation
(Australia) Pty Ltd
Leyland Motors Ltd
Leyland Motors Ltd in UK set up an Australian branch in 1919
as a manufacturer/assembler of truck and bus. In 1954,
Leyland Motors merged with Albion Motors Ltd, and then
shortly afterwards, with Scammell Lorries Ltd. A new factory at
Footscray in Melbourne was established in 1958. In UK,
Leyland Motors purchased Standard-Triumph. In Australia, the
Standard-Triumph range was manufactured by Australia Motor
Industries Ltd in Melbourne (formed in 1952) who also
assembled Rambler and later, Toyota vehicles.
Rover Australia Pty Ltd/ Leyland Motor
Corporation of Australia Pty Ltd
British Leyland Motor Corporation of
Australia Pty Ltd
The Leyland Motor Corporation of Australia Ltd., commonly
referred to as Leyland Australia, was formed in March 1972.
Leyland Australia was formed as a result of a name change
from the British Leyland Motor Corporation to British
Leyland Ltd. in UK. In March 1973, the vehicle marque
names Morris and Austin were replaced with the Leyland
marque. The BMC marque, used for Commercials and
Moke, was also discontinued. Australia was the only
country to introduce the Leyland marque for passenger
vehicles and passenger vehicle derivatives - except for
vehicles exported to New Zealand CBU and CKD and other
export countries mainly in the Pacific region for Moke
vehicles.
Leyland Motor Corporation
of Australia Ltd
Jaguar Rover Australia
Ltd (JRA)
In March 1982, Jaguar Rover Australia Ltd took over all the assets
and responsibilities of Leyland Motor Corporation Australia Ltd.
Leyland Australia then ceased trading. The Company had four
divisions:
•
JRA Cars – distributors for Jaguar, Rover, Range Rover,
and Peugeot whereby vehicles were purchased from Austin
Rover UK, Jaguar Cars, Land Rover Ltd, Peugeot and
Honda.
•
Land Rover Australia – assemblers of V8 petrol Series III
from CKD packs as well as diesel vehicles with the Isuzu
diesel engine being imported CBU from Japan, and also
local design and manufacture of some Land Rover
derivatives.
•
JRA Bus and Coach – a manufacturers of bus bodies and
coaches, as well as importers and distributors of bus
chassis from Hino Japan and Leyland Bus UK. Buses were
assembled at both Revesby and Adelaide facilities.
•
JRA Parts – which importers and distributors of parts for
selected past and current models of Jaguar, Peugeot,
Rover, Austin Morris, MGB, Triumph, Range Rover, Land
Rover and Leyland and Hino buses as well as accessories
for these vehicles.
JRA Holdings Ltd
In February 1987, a new company JRA Holdings acquired the
whole of the share capital of JRA Ltd from the Austin Rover
parent for $66.6M. Receivers were appointed in June 1992.
Clifford Corporation Ltd
In 1997, the Clifford Corporation Ltd bought out JRA
Holdings Ltd, which was by then predominantly a bus
and coach manufacturer, other divisions having been
sold off or closed. in late 1998, Clifford collapsed and
was wound up.
LEARN MORE
Leyland Cars in Australia: a Chronicle
by Tony Cripps
COMPANY
HISTORY
