One of the oldest local businesses in the region is up for sale.
Bundarra Automotive has been operating for 84 years and current owners Steve and Helen Groth are ready to hand it over to someone new.
“We have been running it for 14 years, it’s been a good business and presents a great opportunity for a younger couple (or person) to own and run,” Steve said.
Bundarra Automotive has a lot of history in the old copper and gold town, including a stylish side with the founding owners donning a suit and tie for work.
“I’ve found some old photos of the original owner standing in the workshop dressed very formally and that is how they used to do it back in the day,” Steve said.
“I’ve also discovered some old horseshoes and other bits and pieces which form part of the history of the business.”
“The owner before us had Bundarra Automotive for 35 years and he bought it from his father-in-law, so there is a lot of family and local town history there.”
Steve and Helen said the automotive workshop had been kind to them over the years but of course involved a lot of hard work. They scaled back to four days a week and don’t take on as many large mechanical jobs as they used to.
“We’re in our 60s now and making money is no longer our priority. We want to travel a bit, maybe tour around Australia in our caravan and smell the roses while we are in good health,” Steve said.
Bundarra Automotive is the only fully licensed mechanical workshop in town, with a large mechanical operating area, modern equipment including a hoist for wheel alignments and wheel balancing.
Many local people have taken their vehicles in for tyre, brakes and suspension work, while the business also has a trailer to help anyone who has broken down on the road.
The workshop is split into three large bays – housing a wheel alignment hoist, a two-bay hoist and the office and on the 375 sqm block of land out the back there is a large concrete slab for working on caravans and horse floats as well as other larger vehicles.
The business also services the local Rural Fire Service vehicles at least once a year.
“The RFS is a good client, with about 12 fire fighting units that need to be roadworthy all the time,” Steve said.
Steve has been a volunteer with the fire service for more than 15 years and has enjoyed the community aspect of the role.
“Sometimes locals will call me instead of 000 so the job can be fairly full on, as well as running my own business, so life has been pretty busy.”
Bundarra Automotive is also an authorised ‘blue slip’ vehicle inspection station, with mechanical checks available for a vehicle that is not registered.
Steve said a new owner could have a fantastic business and lifestyle in Bundarra.
“It’s a great opportunity for someone or a couple who are a bit younger than us. Most of the time the weather is great and it’s a pretty area. The river Gwydir River is perfect for kayaking and the Copeton Dam is one of the best fishing areas around, it’s a fisherman’s dream!”
Steve and Helen are hoping a couple might come along who are tired of living in a busy city and want to move to the country for a more relaxed lifestyle, buying a business that is already well set up for a good price.
The Groths are asking $225,000 for Bundarra Automotive – “walk in, walk out.”
Once they sell the business, Steve and Helen will think about travelling and when back home, fixing up their six old Toyota Land Cruisers waiting for restoration.
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