You might say Noel was one of the first Drake legends. He was known by all, and his knowledge of the business was hard to match during his time with Drake Trailers.

Noel retired in 2006 after 35 Years of loyal service, and was a regular visitor onsite until his sad passing in 2021 at the age of 84.

Mine site trailers are designed for the off-highway transport of large mining equipment on mine sites across Australia – hauling up to 500 tonnes.

Colin and John Drake launch the Steerable Platform Trailer, a low loader with one of the heaviest on-road payloads – the first of which goes to Brambles.

Designed for the special heavy duty loads, the Full Modular Steerable Transporters are a similar concept to units manufactured in Europe, but widen for Australian regulations.

The introduction of the computer aided design system process was driven by John Drake and revolutionised the trailer manufacturing industry.

1992 sees an upgrade in size and equipment, with Drake re-locating to a large industrial complex of 8,650 square metres – our location to this day at 19 Formation St.

Drake launches the Swingwide in 2000. The wide line goose neck design allowed operators to carry heavy narrow loads.

Sam continues in the footsteps of his family, as a third-generation Drake. His background is as a diesel fitter and his knowledge of troubleshooting issues is a great asset to our customers.
Sam goes on to become Business Development Manager in 2014, Group Sales Manager in 2018 and Business unit Manager: New Trailers in 2022.

The Drake Group broke into the diecast miniatures market after calls from international collectors.

With regular special edition launches and several award-winning models,  the popularity of our collectibles is outstanding.  Visit The Drake Shop to see our range of premium heavy haulage miniatures.

Drake partner with Cometto to design and engineer a Fully Modular Self Propelled Platform For Mine Sites: The Ant.

As a family-owned and operated company, Drake were delighted to have third generation Drake family member Maggie join our ranks, working in Procurement, Production and Financial Accounting. She is promoted to Projects Manager in 2017.

The Drake Group joins forces with O’Phee Trailers – one of the leading manufacturers of semi-trailers in Australia, bringing about new capabilities and products.

Drake Trailers sister brand Drake Collectibles picks up a major award for Model of the Year 2015 by Cranes Etc.

The 2017 Brisbane Truck Show Awards sees Drake Trailers 4X4 Deck Widener nominated for the prestigious category of Best Trailer.

The expanding portfolio of Drake Trailers sets in motion the desire to re-launch as The Drake Group. In 2017, we brought together Drake Trailers, O’Phee Trailers, Drake Collectibles, BoXLoader, Cometto and Sunseeker East Coast Australia under the one banner.

O’Phee introduces an innovative sideloader called the Speedloader and a retractable container skel called the Retract-X. Both feature higher performance and the lowest tare weight on the market.

Drake Group Production Manager Steve Collins Retires From Role.

Steve Collins was pivotal in strengthening and maintaining quality standards and manufacturing over his 16 year stint. Steve Collins still remains here at the Drake Group as our Service and repair manager.

With BoXLoader’s acquisition of Swinglift, The Drake Group begins offering Swinglift container sideloaders to the Australian market.

Launched at the Brisbane Truck Show in 2021, This brand new deck widener design allows for an additional 35 degrees of manoeuvrability, where every axle on the trailer steers. This is a marked difference between other models where only the rear axle has self-tracking.

This award-nominated trailer offers Crane companies an innovative and flexible multi-purpose solution. It can be configured as a single trailer, B-double or road train. The trailer’s unique adjustable multi position cradle system has the ability to swap and change any accessory to fit any position whilst maximising axle group loadings

The Drake Group is excited to announce the appointment of Sam Drake and Maggie Nilson as directors of The Drake Group.

These well-deserved appointments follow many years of commitment and effort by Sam and Maggie both in the business, and in the industry more broadly. Maggie and Sam bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to their new roles as directors, having held various positions in The Drake Group, they have experienced most facets of the business. Maggie and Sam are excited about the opportunities their new roles afford them to continue the growth and success of The Drake Group. At the same time, they acknowledge the enduring significance of The Drake Group’s strong foundational values in forging the future ahead.

Remaining as Chair of the Board, John Drake is proud to confirm the appointment of his son and daughter Sam and Maggie to the Board. “I believe they will continue to bring outstanding value to the business, and also as directors, their addition inaugurates a third generation of family involvement in the management, leadership and ownership of The Drake Group.”