Heelis - Macksville

This is a historic listing of vehicles owned and operated by Heelis - Macksville.

John Heelis purchased the Macksville - Rhones Creek school bus service from A Welsh, Macksville in July 1962. The Macksville - Newee school bus service was also acquired at an unknown time, but probably in the late-1960s.

A feature of this business was the operation of Macksville district mail contracts. It is believed these contracts no longer operate.

In the mid-1970s, the Macksville - Rhones Creek school bus service was split with a second route created. One bus operated from Macksville with a feeder bus connecting. One route went to Rhones Creek and the second route went to Welshs Creek.

The Macksville - Newee Creek and Macksville - Rhones Creek school services were always operated with full-size buses. Two generations of buses with MO 118 and MO 125 plates were operated on these services. Mini buses worked the feeder service.

The business was incorporated as Albatross Distributors Pty Ltd on 16 January 1976, later renamed John Heelis Pty Ltd.

In 1992, a new school service was commenced from Nambucca Heads schools to Newee Creek with a mini bus.

John Heelis sadly passed away in 1997. The business was managed for a number of years by Robert Mitchell, a former bus operator of the Bowraville - Buccrabendinni school service. Around this period the depot at 49 Binalong Way in the Macksville Industrial Estate was established. Before this buses parked at a depot on the corner of Jellicoe St and Joffre St, as well as at a sub depot in Sturdee St near the corner of Joffre St.

The subsequent managing director of the business was Craig Ennis. Ennis sold all contracts and vehicles to Peter Boutros t/a Nambucca Bus Service Pty Ltd, Macksville as of Term 3 2015.


MO 118 Bedford YRQ2 / CCex Caseys Coaches Grafton Pty Ltd.


MO 0443 Nissan CM80K / Nambucca


MO 4283 Leyland FB45.160 / Express.