OUR HISTORy
1961
Beginning with John Mackay
John Mackay worked as a fire fighter in Brisbane with wife Bev and 1 year old son Bob at home, also working another part time job of garbage collecting to make ends meet. He would Work 4 days in the QFB and 2 days Garbage collecting. John sought alternative ways to make money for his small family and noticed a lot of old houses needed restumping so he offered his services to a local restumper and started restumping on his day off.
1968
Trade Secrets
John devotes all his time to the business, hand writing his own contracts and quotes each and every night, something he would do for many years, spending his weekends quoting work and reading into better and safer work methods for his business. John learns many trade secrets for house raising and sliding making him able to complete the jobs faster, safer and cheaper. Witch in return would give him more raises/slides.
1969
Crash Course
With John’s knowledge and understanding of houses growing he seeks to diversify into other areas. He notices an advertisement in the local paper for a house removal business for sale. The Company called Cyril Hoff House Removals. CHHR had been going for some 30+ years and Cyril was retiring. John inspected the equipment and made the offer to restump Cyril’s house and pay a sum of $2,000 in exchange for a 2 axle wooden trailer made from power poles and aeroplane wheels, 1x kb9 international truck, a Plymouth sedan, timber skids, jacks and an assortment of other tools together with a 12month crash course in house removing. John Mackay House Removals was officially born.
1st September 1969
Murphy’s Law
The very first house was moved in Ascot, Brisbane. Being the first home John had ever moved, he took it very slowly unfortunately the house and truck got bogged into the road and had to be winched to its destination. It took 20hrs to move the house 1km. Today this job would take on average 5 minutes. This was the first of many houses that John moved and in a few short months a new business premises was required. The family and the business moved to 20 Somerset Street, Windsor Brisban
1974
Brisbane Suffers
Tragedy strikes as Brisbane suffers from horrendous floods never seen before. John is contracted to move hundreds of homes out of the lowest lying areas to avoid future floods. Many of these areas included Windsor, Wilston, Bowen Hills, Chelmer, Rocklea. Numerous suburbs were simply wiped out by torrents of water and John was solidly booked out for more than 2 years and found he was saying “sorry” to potential clients as he was unable to carry out their move for some time. After leaving the QFB 8 years earlier to do house restumping, John had changed his business direction and founded a unique niche, doing what not many had done before him, a true risk taker. John Mackay House Removals is now so large it can no longer work out of residential premises at Windsor. John sources new premises for the Business only, whilst the family moved back to the former family home at Kelvin Grove. The new business premises, affectionately known by John as “The Depot” was zoned “industrial” which was perfect for John’s growing business and vision. This also kept him in good steed with the Brisbane City Council. John purchased the property at 60 Ryan’s Road, Northgate which would remained Johns “Depo” for the next 22 years. This is also the year that John Mackay House Removals formed a Company, Hunstall Pty Ltd trading as John Mackay House Removals.
1977
The Great Expanse
With John constantly researching new techniques and always updating and maintaining his equipment. The business grows and it is now so large that it not only moves houses for itself, it also moves houses for 3 other Removal Companies, moving on average 4 houses a week all over the State of Queensland. Sometimes away from home for many days.
1981
The Takeover
With John’s quest to become the largest house removal company, he purchases yet another House Removal company, Allen Lorie House Removals. This take over includes 2x b model Mack trucks and 2x brand new state of the art hydraulic 2 axle duel wheel boomerang trailers which could be raised from 1m up to an astronomical 1.7m. These where the first hydraulic trailers in Queensland. This dramatically increased the time it took to move houses, now John could lift up over guardrails/ bridges etc. Whereas before blocks where required to be laid on the ground and the truck/house would drive on top of them to get the height required to clear the obstacle. This is also where John’s signature colour of black started. The takeover of Allen Lorie’s business enable John’s dream and vision to become a reality. John Mackay House Removals is now the largest house removal company in Australia
1982 - 1983
“Night Moves”
With the only hydraulic trailer in use in the House Removing business, John’s business thrived moving houses, Again, John was hiring his Business to up to 6 other Removal Businesses. Not many nights went without a move. “Night moves” were allowed every night of the week, except for Saturday night.
1986
Get Over It
With work mounting, and new advances in equipment John bought another 3 axle trailer from Modern Transport. This state of the art Trailer had the capability of raising up to 2.4m and having double acting cylinder’s making it able to lift wheels individually to raise over obstacles like holes or banks.
1987 - 1989
The Business Exploded!
With an extensive fleet and no shortfall of work, the business exploded and John looked for new equipment to make the job easier and safer always wanting to deliver the best to his clients was foremost on John’s mind.
1990
The Revolution
John bought the first steerable trailer in Queensland and could lift to 2.8m. This trailer revolutionised the house removal industry and is the base for all house removal trailers today, it made “impossible jobs possible” and further cemented John’s name in history
2001
The “Depot”
With a successful few years, Bob dreams big and purchases a property at Narangba which backed onto the Bruce Highway. This property will become the base for the business for the next 15+ years. This was the new “Depot” and the family also lived on the premises
2002
Enter Matt
Bob’s youngest son Matt starts work.
2003
East West
As Brisbane grows the need for tunnels/ busways increase. The government resumes a large number of homes with Bob being the preferred removalist to remove all the homes for the east/west bus way tunnel in Brisbane CBD. This was a major contract moving entire streets for the Brisbane City Council.
2004
The Clem7
After successfully completing the bus way, Mackay and Sons are engaged again to remove the first stage of houses to make way for the Clem7 tunnel.
2007
Family Tradition
With all Bob’s children working in the family business, Bob continues to make John proud taking the business to new levels. A wonderful family tradition had been born – Each of John and Bob’s children having had a part in the family business.
2010 - 2012
More For Less
With the 3 boys in control they push the business forward with new, faster and safer methods of moving houses. With a decreasing economy the boys manage to deliver a top quality job at a lower rate, thus increasing the amount of houses moved and the business continues to grow.
2013
Remember The Motto
After 11 years Matt Mackay sadly leaves the family business to peruse other dreams in Northern Queensland. With technology ever changing and the boys keeping Johns motto in mind “nothing stays the same forever” most equipment is either updated or replaced
