Australis (Australia) - AllCarIndex

Australis Motors was an Australian automobile manufacturer based in Leichhardt, New South Wales, that operated from 1901 to 1905. The company originated from the G.W. & G. Wood workshop, which initially focused on the production of bicycles. As interest in motorized vehicles grew, the workshop transitioned into the Austral Gas Engine Works, where experiments began to integrate motor power into cycling.

In 1897, the company achieved a breakthrough with the development of a motor bicycle powered by a De Dion-Bouton engine. Following this, G.W. & G. Wood, along with motorist Charles Highland, produced various motorized tricycles and quads. By 1901, they introduced a small automobile under the name Australis, featuring a single-cylinder, water-cooled engine that produced 3 horsepower, designed in the style of De Dion-Bouton engines. The vehicle was notable for being entirely manufactured by the Wood firm, except for its rims and tires.

The Australis Motors brand became established during this period, with surviving engines bearing the name cast into their crankcases. In 1905, the company produced a four-seater tonneau vehicle, marking one of its last known developments before ceasing operations.