Newcastle Motor Trades in the 1970s

The car business in Newcastle was always a thriving one, never more so than at it's height in the 1970s, when the boomer youth reached driving age. By then old Fords and Holdens that were made in Australia were becoming plentiful and affordable.

This gallery of mostly car yards overflowing with used and new cars is a snapshot of the region early in that golden decade, when big sixes and V8s replaced the quaint old Pommie imports of the 50s.

It was also the time when the Japanese de facto invasion had begun, that we petrol heads discourteously referred to as "rice boxes" - even as their high-tech power plants burned off our old clunkers at the lights. And no self-respecting young rev-head wanted any old Pommie product - except maybe a Mini Cooper.

An unforgettable discussion in the car club one afternoon mentioned so-and-so who - unaware of the little beast's power plant - had tried to drag off a Honda S600 with his old FJ Holden... by matching engine revs! Later seen patting his smoking car bonnet with commiserations.

Good times.

These images are from a collection of commercial shoots and sadly lack many advertisers that were household names back then. But at least some is better than none, right?

Alf Jones Alfa Romeo
83 Lambton Rd Broadmeadow

Then Alf went SAAB. Not sure I've ever seen that done before.

Auto Salvage Center (aka Lake Macquarie Auto Wreckers?).

Almost certainly 48 Pendlebury Road Cardiff.

Auto-Trans - Automatic transmission servicing.

77 Parry Street between Stewart Avenue and National Park Street. (Thx Rob, for this and other addresses below :0)

Balcomb Industries P/L
Scrap metal merchants. Sandgate Rd Wallsend.
Where most cars end their days, so guess it belongs here.

Below: Where to park is determined by where the least number of RSJ's have fallen recently. (Sorry, also, pic is mirror-reverse - will fix later)

Belmont Caravans
460 Pacific Hwy Belmont

Bennetts of Islinton
208 Maitland Rd Islington

Aka: T R Bennett

Cardiff Motors
71 Tudor St Hamilton (says the phone directory!)

Central Brake Service

65 Parry Street, between Stewart Avenue and National Park Street (per Rob)

Cross Roads Chrysler
Main Rd Glendale
~ Cars were colourful back in the 70s

David's Car Sales
Corner Pacific Hwy & Smart St Charletown. Also 114 Brunker Rd Broadmeadow.

Davies Ford

Famously visible on the highway at Charlestown, 217 Pacific Highway at Smith St corner

Deloraine Chrysler
77 Maitland Rd Mayfield. Also at 81 & 85 Parry St Newcastle West
Every photo has a useful detail. Through the windscreen we see 156 Maitland Road, Mayfield. Deloraine was where Coles is now. Yes, 77 was opposite 156.

Doug Norton
65 Tudor St Hamilton

Below: This was included with the others. An earlier photo where the Toyota sign resembles an original Japanese style.

Dunlop Tyre Service
Which is this, if any? 24 Belmore Rd Lorn; 494 Pacific Hwy Belmont; Hunter St Newcastle West; Wharf Rd Newcastle

FYI, below is the orignal condition most of the negatives in this collection. The good ole magenta tint. Amazing that near-original colouring can be retrieved, and the colour information is still in there in proportion.

Freedom Cycles
448 Pacific Hwy Belmont

Highway Motors
194 New England Hwy Rutherford; also 519 High St Maitland

ISP aka Islington Spare Parts
122 Maitland Rd Islington

Kloster Ford
As signposted. That's the north eastern corner

Look at the colours of those cars.

Kloster Kotara
Northcott Drv Kotara

Lifeguard Tyres
Also 243 Vincent St Cessnock; New England Hwy Rutherford

"Lifeguard Tyres" is the corner of King & National Park St. Rob

Above: "111 Maitland Rd Mayfield (West from Nile St & northern side). Rob"
Below: Whatever your core trade, you weren't a serious motor-related business unles you stocked extractors for a big six, and Lukey ("leaky") mufflers.

Mal Grant Auto Spares
6 Stewart Av Hamilton. Also: 58 Melbourne St East Maitland; 75 Cowper St Wallsend; 1A Royal Place New Lambton; 48 Macquarie Rd Cardiff

Maybridge Motorchange
Engine reconditioners: "1a Maitland Rd (corner O'Mara St) Mayfield East. Rob"

McLeod, Kelso & Lee
745 Hunter St Newcastle West. Also

In this series there's a story being told. The message is clear. And he seems to be awaiting the invention of mobile phones.

A third series shows regional car yards. Below: Corner Tudor St & Parkway Av. The gasometer in the second down is a mystery.

Above: Beside Overland City caravans thought to be at Heatherbrae. In '76 only Ncl, Mayfield & Hamilton were listed yards.
Below: 95 Maitland Rd Mayfield (Better Brakes at 93)

Newcastle Automobile Exchange. 

183 King Street, later to become Tower Cinema (thx Rob - could not have placed it!)

Colour film stock damage. They've moved up King Street to the corner of Perkins Street, at number 133. This is a later shoot, probably for colour TV

Norm Fraser Motorcycles
137 Lambton Rd Broadmeadow

NSW Motors
934 Hunter St Newcastle West (corner Railway St)

Overland Caravans

Aka Overland Caravan Camper City - Where, anyone? Heatherbrae seems likely.

Peter Langwill Autos
Pacific Hwy Gateshead and 200 Maitland Rd Mayfield (now Woolworths)

An odd series, and unfortunately incomplete. Note: drive-in theatre Metro Gateshead

Robertson Bros
1 Maitland Rd Mayfield (corner Selwyn St)

Spic N Span Cart Detailers
12 Mitchel St Merewether

Tool Specialists
99 Maitland Rd Islington

Trigg's Motors Toronto
36 Victory Parade Toronto

Young and Green Hamilton

69 Tudor Street. The pub is still there, too.

Young and Green Newcastle
708 Hunter St Newcastle Palais Royale up the street.

Young and Green (group 1)

A reader comments "Young and green group 1 possibly at Toronto Carey & James Sts" ~ for which, many thanks.

Young and Green (group 2)

Belmont vibe, Pacific Hwy. Caltex servo will require long memory.

Young & Green other locations (car yards): Dungog, Kotara, Maitland, Mayfield, Wallsend