Before 1925 small amounts of Model T’s were imported into Australia and were fitted out by various coach builders around the country.
The Ford Motor Company of Australia formed on March 31 1925 and as a Commonwealth Country was started by Ford of Canada. Production of Model T began July 1 in a leased woolstore close to Geelong’s waterfront. The site was at the corner of Gheringhap and Brougham Streets, opposite where the Ford Discovery Centre stands today. Construction of assembly plants in Geelong, Brisbane, Fremantle and Adelaide soon followed.
Photo:
Geelong plant under construction mid 1920′s
1926 saw manufacturing and assembly plants opened in Norlane on the northern outskirts of Geelong, Adelaide and Brisbane at Eagle Farm. The original Model T’s were built from knock down parts provided by Ford of Canada but as manufacturing facilities grew more parts were locally sourced.
Photo:
Geelong plant under construction looking north along Melbourne Road
1928 saw the Model A replace the Model T, which was the second time the A had been used as a model name. The original Model A was built by Henry Ford and his team between 1903 and 1904. Over 4.8 million Model A vehicles were produced around the world including Australia there was the USA, Canada, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Photo:
Geelong plant under construction mid 1920′s
An intersting bit of trivia from the 1920′s saw Sir Hudson Fysh, Longreach grazier, a World War I pilot and eventually the founder of Qantas Empire Airways, purchased a Model T Ford and drove from Longreach to Darwin over trackless country. They used the Ford to map the eventual routes for the first Qantas flights.
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Sir Hudson Fysh’s Model T
