In a close-knit town like Walcha, Peter Norbury Motors has long been a name locals trust. Now, with the expansion into a fully dedicated mechanical workshop, the family business is continuing to grow — meeting community needs while carrying on a legacy built over decades.
For Cameron Norbury, the workshop was a natural step.
“We turn over a lot of cars during the year, and by law every car we sell has to have a roadworthy check,” he said.
“But when there’s only a few mechanics in town and 3,000 people needing cars checked, it’s two weeks before you can get in. Our cars didn’t generally last two weeks.”
Seeing the bottleneck firsthand sparked the idea.
“A lot of people felt Walcha could definitely use another mechanic,” Cameron said. “We took it on and opened it up, and it’s going really well.”
Opening the workshop itself was far from an overnight job. “It took about two and a half years from the moment we started looking at sheds to where we are now,” Cameron said. “In a small town, nothing really moves too quickly. It sort of blooms as an idea and then finally becomes something tangible.”
There were practical hurdles too – including securing a certified installer for the hoist, which took months. But once the space was fitted out, the approvals fell into place.
“That side of it wasn’t too hard,” Cameron said. “Campbell already had all his tickets, so that made a big difference.”
Campbell, the workshop’s head mechanic, has quickly become invaluable.
“He’s very good, very reliable, very honest,” Cameron said.
“He’s basically up there by himself most of the time. He orders parts, deals with customers, and does all the mechanical work. He’s doing a lot more than most mechanics would be expected to do.”
Though the dealership and the workshop share a name, they operate independently.
“They’re two separate businesses,” Cameron said. “The yard’s on the western end of town and the workshop’s on the eastern end. If we want one of our own cars worked on, we still book in like everyone else.”
Word of mouth has already been strong, especially around their new wheel alignment machine.
“People seem pretty happy with how they’re coming out,” Cameron said.
The team is also looking at offering blue slips down the track, which would help streamline the process for the interstate vehicles they regularly bring in.
And his advice for anyone thinking of starting something new?
“Be prepared that it’s not going to happen overnight,” he said. “There will be hurdles – don’t lose faith when it doesn’t go your way straight away.”
In this series New England Times Investigates is unpacking some of the dynamics and forces driving our new business boom, and meeting some of the new business owners having a go. Read all the stories in this series here.
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