Cobb & Co Coach Service 90th Anniversary of the last Service in Australia

Photos by Alice Mabin Photography - featured in the Summer 2014 Edition of the Horse Downunder Magazine

On January 30, 1853 Freeman Cobb, a 23 year old American immigrant arranged the first mail and passenger transport service. The service was as a vital connection between the Port of Melbourne and the Victorian Gold fields. Cobb was accompanied by three others in his initial venture. 

After one failed attempt in Melbourne the service travelled a distance of 120 kilometres from the Criterion Hotel in Melbourne, to the gold diggings at (the now known) Castlemaine.

By 1855 the Cobb & Co Coach service had developed a reputation as the preferred method of transportation on the eastern coast of Australia. It was relatively comfortable, reliable and speedy. The Coach service was a success for several reasons. Rather than using coaches that were imported from England, Cobb & Co imported coaches which were used in the American west. These were better suited to the rugged Australian landscape and could travel at higher speeds.

Another reason for its success was the strategic placement of Changing Stations along each route. Horses were changed every 16-32 kilometres (relatively frequent compared to competitors), which allowed the horses to travel at greater speeds.

In 1856 (just three years after commencement), Freeman Cobb sold his share of the business and returned to his home country in the United States. The business was sold for around 7000 pounds, though was sold again in 1861 to a consortium of nine men for around 23000 pounds. The consortium made up of James Rutherford, Walter Hall, William Whitney, Alexander Robertson and John Wagner were integral to the expansion of the service throughout New South Wales and Queensland.

From 1860 through to the mid 1880’s, Cobb & Co expanded its services into New South Wales and then into Queensland. At its’ peak, the services were travelling a combined 45000 kilometres per week over 11200 kilometres of routes. The company had expanded to have networks which reached the Gulf of Carpentaria and Cooktown in the north and as far south as their origins at the Port of Melbourne.

It wasn’t until January 1866 that services commenced in Queensland. In 1884, Cobb & Co mail service No. 177 commenced, travelling from Yuleba to Surat and on to St. George, in Queensland’s South West. The service provided an invaluable connection for local property owners to supplies, communication through mail and transportation for passengers. Up until this time, the area was perceived to be isolated from Queenslands major business centres.

It took many months to clear the tracks between Yuleba and Surat and even then, the coach underwent a treacherous journey through arid, sun scorched plains and dense bush land. The track crosses a sparse flood plain, of course making the journey especially challenging during the rainy season. At times, passengers were required to assist in digging the coach from mud and sand.

For this service, the coaches were usually pulled by a team of five or seven horses. The horses would be rested at the changing stations, which were strategically located at intervals of approximately 25 kilometres. While the horses were being changed, the coach driver and passengers would be revived with a meal prepared by the wife of the property owner.

The route from Yuleba to Surat spans a distance of 76 kilometres. Changing stations were located at local properties ‘Bainbilla’, ‘Waldegrave’, ‘Wilbah’ and ‘Pleasant Fields’. This service would have required 40 horses and six staff to make the journey.

For local graziers and their families, the service became an iconic and essential tool to maintain contact with friends and relatives, to receive supplies from town and to travel, where previously it had been too expensive and time consuming.

At the conclusion of the First World War, the Cobb & Co Coach Service had reached its peak. The increased popularity of the motor vehicle and air transportation meant that the horse drawn coach had become obsolete.

On August 14, 1924 the last Cobb & Co Coach Service in Australia (No 177) made its way from Surat to Yuleba.

In its 40 years of service to the region, Cobb & Co had engrained itself into the culture and way of life for many locals. Today, the route of the last Cobb & Co Coach service is preserved and proudly shared by the locals.

Every five years, two local community groups share the history of Cobb & Co and commemorate the anniversary of the last service in Australia, with a two day trail ride along Cobb & Co Way (between Yuleba and Surat).This year, Yuleba Development Group and Surat and District Development association hosted what is said to be the best celebration yet.

The celebration was held from Friday August 22 to Sunday, August 24. Riders, descendants of workmen and women that were involved in the Cobb & Co Coach service, visitors and locals alike rallied in Surat late on Friday afternoon to prepare for the two day ride that was to follow. Surat is a beautiful country town that lies peacefully on the Balonne River just 78 kilometres south of Roma. In true country town style, the town and the community minded residents made sure that visitors and riders were welcomed into their town and provided a beautiful meal before embarking on the journey the next day.

The regions replica Cobb & Co Coach (which is usually housed in the Cobb & Co Changing Station Museum in Surat) was taken out of the museum for the occasion and led by a team of five horses. Spectators were treated with the opportunity to ride in the coach for part of the journey and for some, this was a significant occasion for them to relive the experience of their predecessors who would have travelled on the service as passengers. It was a wonderful site to see a full coach, with many passengers dressed in period costume.

The procession was a magnificent site, with 70 horses and riders following the coach, carriages and 64 coach passengers taking part in the journey.

Saturday morning, the celebrations left Surat, first collecting the mail from the Surat Post Office. The community and spectators were treated with the spectacle of the beautiful coach passing by as they enjoyed their breakfast at the Surat Riverside Markets.

Coach, riders and support crew travelled from Surat along the Cobb & Co way, stopping for morning tea on the first day at ‘Frogmoor Homestead’. ‘Frogmoor’ was one of the local properties serviced by the Cobb & Co service. Mail, parcels and supplies were delivered to mail boxes which were nailed to trees at coach height so drivers did not need to disembark. Today, Frogmoor is a privately owned property, though visitors are able to read about the importance of Cobb & Co, with a plaque installed at the roadside entrance.

Following a delicious, local morning tea at Frogmoor, the Coach, riders and support crew set off again, bound for lunch at ‘Bainbilla’. What is particularly special and humbling about these types of events, is the way the local community groups pull together to help out. The Surat & District Development Association supplied a lunch of hot lamb and gravy rolls for participants and was a friendly reminder that warm, country hospitality is still alive and well.

Originally, Cobb & Co used ‘Bainbilla’ as a changing station, where horses could be swapped and rested before the coach continued the journey. Operated by the Horrobin family, Mrs Horrobin would hear the bugil as the Coach approached the station and would know that it was time to lay the table for the passengers and coach driver. Usually, she would serve home-made scones and tea for one shilling.

After lunch, riders, buggies and the coach then continued the journey to ‘Wallabella.’ Bushrangers hidden in the dense scrub land to the side of the road emerged to hold up the coach. Thankfully, the coach driver and passengers escaped unharmed. As spectators watched, they were treated with a beautiful sunshower that lasted only minutes, touching the dry earth and giving riders a fresh smell of rain as they continued the ride unbothered by the shower.

As riders, buggies and finally, the coach made their way into ‘Wallabella’, they were treated with an array of home baked goods, supplied by the Wallumbilla Heritage group. Just as you thought that country style cooking was lost, this group presented a magnificent spread, with tea and coffee served straight from the billy.

The last leg of the journey for the first day, saw the procession stop in to a magnificent property at ‘Lorelle Downs’.  As the sun began to sink over the horizon, participants were treated with a spectacular, outback sunset. As darkness came over the site, riders freshened up, fed their horses and prepared for an evening of entertainment, catching up with friends around a fire and a camp over dinner under an open night sky. Event organisers were ecstatic with the support of the evening night of entertainment, with 310 participants booking in for the dinner.

Bright and early on Sunday morning, the horse and coach, riders and passengers were set to make their way to ‘Gaemond’ for morning tea before completing their journey in Yuleba.

Along the way, riders and their support crew were able to appreciate the importance of Cobb & Co Service No. 177 with a series of plaques recently installed at significant sites. The plaques (researched and written by locals) are a fascinating insight into the history of the service in the local area and preserving a major part of Australia’s culture and heritage.

As the coach made its way into Yuleba, visitors and locals gathered in Yuleba’s Main street to take in the spectacle of the delivery of the mail that had made the journey from Surat. As the coach pulled in to an afternoon of celebrations at the Yuleba markets, the arrival of the coach and riders into the golf/ bowls club, up to 400 spectators watched on, clapping with the significance of the celebration. It was a feeling of pride and achievement that our history and culture was still shared and celebrated, after 90 years. 

‘The organisers were extremely pleased with the response. We had excellent feedback on the organisation of the event, and the experience. Visitors came from Brisbane, Canberra, Gladstone, Rockhampton and all parts in  between. The event was a fantastic opportunity for our community to not only preserve, but to share our history. It’s such a vital element of the Australian history and culture.’ – Paul Masson.

The Cobb & Co 90th Anniversary event was generously supported by FRRR’s CATCH program, who contributed $11000 towards the coach driver and horses. The stunning photography was made possible thanks to a grant from Maranoa Regional Council RADF Committee. (The Regional Arts Development Fund is a Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and Maranoa Regional Council partnership to support local arts and culture.)

Please note : Information sourced from: Australian Government 2009, Australian Stories, Canberra, viewed 25 July 2014, http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/cobb-and-co 

Thank you to our friends at Downunder Magazine for kindly sharing this story with Horsezone - Downunder Magazine is Australia’s leading horse, cattle and country lifestyle publication - check it out for more great articles!

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