Western Truck Group acquires Southern Truck Centre

Western Truck Group (WTG) has acquired Southern Truck Centre (STC), which currently operates two truck dealership locations in New South Wales, expanding its regional coverage.

A heads of agreement has been entered into between WTG and STC, expected to lead to settlement and transfer of ownership in May 2025. 

Established in Queanbeyan in 1994 as the local Volvo, UD and Mack trucks dealer for the area, STC was purchased by current owners Steve and Lisa Barlow in 2008. In 2011 the team expanded into Wollongong, and the business now employs 95 staff, providing professional and personalised service and advice to their customers. 

“After starting with Volvo Group in 1996 in the UK, and enjoying an association with Volvo Group Australia since 2004, I have decided the time is right to hand over my lifetime passion and business to Western Truck Group,” said Mr Barlow. 

Joe White, Dealer Principal for WTG, says that bringing STC into the network will help support a growing regional customer base.

“It also further strengthens our ability to support our growing customer base in regional areas with industry leading services and products for the longer term” he said. 

Western Truck Group (WTG) was established in 2018 after the acquisition of Queensland Truck Centre, which had been operating in Toowoomba, Mount Isa and the Sunshine Coast since 1993. 

Taking on the existing relationship with Volvo Group Australia, WTG has established itself as a vital network partner looking after the transport needs of customers throughout Queensland, the Northern Territory and regional New South Wales. 

Dealer Partner Volvo Group Australia is highly supportive of the ownership transfer, backing the success of the dealer group.

“I’m delighted to see Southern Truck Centre become a part of the WTG network,” said Volvo Group Australia President and CEO, Martin Merrick.

“Our dealers and their workshops are the lifeblood of our customer’s businesses, their success is our success.

“This evolution of our dealer network will only serve to build on that legacy of success, providing industry leading customer support across some of Australia’s busiest freight routes. We’d like to thank the Barlow family and the entire STC team for making the business what it is today, and we look forward to continuing to work with them under the WTG banner.”