Michael ‘Greg’ Symes
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 2023.
Michael Gregory Symes, known as Greg, was born in 1952 to parents Kathleen and Rex Symes. Greg was brought up in the family business as an orchardist which also involved, alongside his father and older brother, transporting produce around Victoria. This grew into a love of trucks.
In the early 1970s Greg and his brother John started their company, Symes Brothers. The brothers won a courier contract with WM Adams, this is when Greg’s driving days began. There were many deliveries to construction sites around Victoria of Caterpillar parts as well as overnight deliveries to the Dartmouth Dam project in Northeast Victoria. This was followed by nine years of interstate transport with Cubico. Greg had a small break during 1982 which he spent carting hay to drought effected areas.
By 1984 Greg and John were desperate to have more family time, which never really was achieved, however they focused on local transport between Castlemaine, Bendigo and Melbourne. Using a panel van and tandem trailer the business grew rapidly but the days were long and hard.
John had a change of direction and started John Symes Transport Harcourt. Greg and Jan continued in the business as Symes Transport with continuous growth resulting in a move to a Castlemaine Depot in 1992. This was a huge improvement from the humble beginnings in the hay shed at Daryl’s residence in Harcourt. Unfortunately, the move proved to be disastrous when council restrictions, after a visit from VCAT, almost crippled the business.
To overcome the setback, Greg and Jan sold the premises in Castlemaine in 2002 and moved the operations to Bendigo. After the move business gradually came back and growth resumed. Symes Transport has now expanded its operations to many more towns in Central and Northern Victoria.
Greg and Jan have been joined by their family and now their grandchildren in the business. Greg looks forward to the company continuing to provide an efficient, cost-effective transport service well into the future.
