Brisbane City Council has actively announced its support of the establishment of Queensland’s first bus museum through a new sponsorship arrangement with the museum’s operator in the Queensland Omnibus and Coach Society (QOCS).
The museum was recently opened late last year for Queensland’s bus industry, with the new sponsorship deal meaning part of the council’s rich bus transport heritage dating back to its formation in 1925 will soon be on display to the public for the first time.
The site will be officially open to the public on Saturday February 3.
The state government-owned space for the museum at 600 Mains Road, Nathan (adjacent to the Nissan Arena inside the QSAC complex) has been steadily reconfigured since September 2022 to become the Brisbane Transport Museum.
“Our efforts to secure and save Brisbane’s transport heritage has been supported by council for several years now, and we’re really excited to continue this relationship by having them join as a founding sponsor of the Brisbane Transport Museum,” QOCS president Nick Wilson says.
“A dedicated team of volunteer members have been working very hard behind the scenes for more than 12 months to put together a comprehensive display showcasing over a century’s worth of transport progress.”
Now opened, it showcases rare and historically significant items of the Queensland bus industry, with QOCS owning the largest fleet of vintage buses in Queensland.
It currently has a fleet of 22 vehicles spanning from 1938 to 1996 models, the majority of which were operated for council and form a significant part of Brisbane’s bus transport heritage.
Alongside these vehicles, QOCS also has a large collection of rare photos and industry memorabilia that haven’t previously been showcased to the public permanently.
The pinnacle of QOCS’ fleet at the museum is one of Brisbane’s oldest buses in existence today in the 1948 AEC Regal III, which first entered service in June 1948 when Brisbane City Council became the state’s largest operator of buses.
After announcing the sponsorship arrangement, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner says the museum offers an important connection to Brisbane’s past as the city prepares for an exciting transport future with the 2032 Olympic Games on the horizon.
“Buses are by far the most popular mode of public transport in Brisbane so what better place to have Queensland’s first dedicated bus museum,” Schrinner says.
“I remember when people were travelling on buses with no air-conditioning in summer and now Brisbane is home to Australia’s most modern bus fleet.
“The arrival of Brisbane Metro is another chapter in Brisbane’s transport evolution, with a fleet of fully-electric vehicles providing turn-up-and-go transport along our city’s busway network from next year.
“At a time when Brisbane Metro is transforming our city’s public transport network, this museum will bring back some familiar transport memories from our city’s past.
“We look forward to having another fantastic museum here in Brisbane for residents and visitors to enjoy.”
Civic Cabinet Chair for Transport Ryan Murphy says the museum provides a wealth of transport history on Brisbane’s doorstep.
“Buses have been part of Brisbane’s history for almost 100 years and this collection showcases the evolution of our city’s transport network,” Murphy says.
“We’re proud to support the important work of the Queensland Omnibus and Coach Society in preserving our past and ensuring these pieces of our history are accessible for years to come.”