Jack McCafferty
Encyclopedia
John Francis McCafferty was one of the great pioneers of the bus and coach industry in Australia, founder of McCafferty's Express Coaches and Mayor
of Toowoomba for 9 years.
Jack was born at Breakfast Creek, Brisbane
on 11 March 1914, the son of James McCafferty, a railway engine driver, and Martha.
During the depression in the 1930s, Jack operated a milk run with a horse and cart in Wilsonton.
On 1 April 1940, Jack began his first bus run, purchasing the Picnic Point to Rangeville service. Later in 1950, he acquired a co-ordinated bus-rail link from Toowoomba to Brisbane
. Over the following years, Jack acquired further services, building the business into an Australia-wide coach service.
In 1955, Jack was elected as an Alderman
to the Toowoomba City Council and within three years he was the 58th Mayor of Toowoomba, an office he held for 9 years until his defeat in 1967. During this time, he came to be regarded as a dynamic Mayor who put Toowoomba on the map.
Jack McCafferty died on 12 January 1999 at the age of 84 after a 2 year battle with cancer. His funeral was held at St. Patrick's Cathedral and was attended by more than 1000 people.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Toowoomba for 9 years.
Jack was born at Breakfast Creek, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
on 11 March 1914, the son of James McCafferty, a railway engine driver, and Martha.
During the depression in the 1930s, Jack operated a milk run with a horse and cart in Wilsonton.
On 1 April 1940, Jack began his first bus run, purchasing the Picnic Point to Rangeville service. Later in 1950, he acquired a co-ordinated bus-rail link from Toowoomba to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. Over the following years, Jack acquired further services, building the business into an Australia-wide coach service.
In 1955, Jack was elected as an Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
to the Toowoomba City Council and within three years he was the 58th Mayor of Toowoomba, an office he held for 9 years until his defeat in 1967. During this time, he came to be regarded as a dynamic Mayor who put Toowoomba on the map.
Jack McCafferty died on 12 January 1999 at the age of 84 after a 2 year battle with cancer. His funeral was held at St. Patrick's Cathedral and was attended by more than 1000 people.