Distinguished Newcastle transport business to close after 45 years

McGrath Newcastle offloads their fleet ahead of retirement

In 1981, Newcastle local Tony McGrath purchased two used trucks and a front end loader from an established business, with no idea that he’d taken the first step on a path that would last almost half a century. Armed with a budding fleet and a lifetime of experience driving trucks, Tony started McGrath Newcastle and managed to double turnover and profitability within the first two years of operation. The family business has grown steadily ever since. 

Tony’s been driving on Australian roads since the 60s, having started transporting for a local timber and hardware company before moving to interstate driving between Central and North Queensland. On every long stretch of road, Tony dreamt of starting his own business and holding control of the operation instead of the steering wheel.

After taking the wheel for himself, Tony achieved Trucksafe Accreditation in 2001 and maintained this high standard of excellence every year since. Shortly after achieving this status, Tony went on to sit on the Board of Newcastle Transport Awareness Group for 21 years, acting as Chair for 14 of these years. 

Tony is a man who prides himself on his excellence, making it no surprise that he was awarded the ATA Outstanding Achiever Award at state level in 2011 and then received the national level of award in 2012. After awards in consecutive years, Tony would continue to develop his passion for community work and actively engaged in initiatives to positively impact the wider transport community.

As of 2026, McGrath Newcastle had grown into a fleet of 10 prime movers, multiple trailers, and a 6000sq meter warehouse. With an expansive fleet, McGrath was able to operate on shifts handling large import and export containers from Sydney Ports.

A well-known and respected figure in the Australian road transport community, Tony chalks up his tenure to two factors: his wife and his drivers. 

’None of any of this would’ve happened without the support of my wonderful wife Anne, who’s taken care of me for 57 years. Driver loyalty was also a very important part of being on the road for so many years.’ - Tony McGrath, Owner and Operator of McGrath Newcastle

As a successful and decades-old family business, McGrath Newcastle coming to a close is a big change for the industry and an even bigger one for the McGrath family. After so many years in operation, the business closure will allow Tony to enjoy his senior years with the next two generations of McGraths, with his children and grandchildren.

For industry operators, the closure of McGrath Newcastle is a sad event but also poses a unique opportunity to acquire quality used transport assets from a highly regarded business. Spread across a huge online sales event in November, the McGrath Newcastle Transport Fleet

Retirement Auction starts on Tuesday, 3 November at 9am AEDT with bidding available from anywhere in Australia via Pickles Online.

Buckle up and view the full range of assets available for auction here.