For years, the Hobart Fun Bus has been a cultural icon in Tasmania’s capital. Whether it be birthday parties, event transfers or any other general celebrations, the Fun Bus has brought joy to Hobart over the past decade.
Now, it has new owners, with Stephen and Rachael Hindle taking over the business.
- Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive the latest news and classifieds from Australasia’s bus and coach industry
- Don’t miss a second and subscribe to our monthly ABC magazine
“We originally hopped onboard the bus for a work Christmas party last year and we enjoyed our time on it,” Stephen Hindle told ABC.
“We then saw it pop up for sale and thought why not have a go at running it!”
The couple both enjoy going to music festivals and other events, meaning the Fun Bus now allows them to get involved in the industry. Having seen the potential in the bus and its entertaining service, the couple aimed to get involved and try something different.
“We both have no experience running buses, but we wanted to get involved in the industry and have a crack at it,” Hindle says.
“We wanted to be in control of a fun party festival vibe. We both have experience in the disability sector and I was previously a chef, so we are trying something completely new.”
The revamped Hobart Fun Bus ran its first service again in May, with Stephen and Rachael giving the bus a makeover. As well as repainting the bus and reupholstering the seats, the pair also added new lights, a fresh sound system and are in the midst of installing a DJ booth onboard to welcome a new era for the attraction.
“After getting our appropriate licences to finalise the sale, we gave the bus a revamp to give it a fresh vibe,” Hindle says.
“We got the outside painted too before relaunching it. It was matte black on the exterior and plain white on the interior when we first bought it.
“Now, it is incredibly bright and colourful. Since then, we’ve seen bookings come rolling in.”
A key part of the new and improved Hobart Fun Bus is a themed nights package, where passengers can enjoy a range of eras while travelling and partying on the bus. With partnerships also struck with local businesses to provide food, drink and experience offers outside of the bus trip, the Hindles are hopeful that they’re onto a winner.
“We’ve picked some new venues to take people to and we’re running a stack of parties now after giving the bus that fresh feel,” Hindle says.
“Now the Fun Bus is up and running again, we’ll look at what we can add to the services in future to provide more fun for people.
“We’ve received a lot of positive feedback to date. All we want to do is invite people to a safe space where they can enjoy themselves in a glamorous and psychedelic environment.”
Read more: