Donalda Motor Service will celebrate 100 years of membership with the Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) in 2025, marking a rare centenary milestone for the Maffra-based family business.
As Member No. 7, Donalda joined the Chamber in 1925 and has remained an active member since, making it one of the earliest and longest-serving automotive businesses in Victoria to achieve this distinction.
The business was founded in 1925 when the McDonald family established operations in St Kilda, before relocating to the Gippsland town of Maffra in 1926. According to the company, one of the founding brothers followed his girlfriend to Maffra, bringing the enterprise with him.
Once established in Maffra, Donalda became known for innovation, installing the town’s first petrol pump and one of the region’s earliest hydraulic hoists. The business continues to blend traditional service with modern automotive needs, supporting both motoring and agricultural customers across Gippsland.
Multi-generational family operation
Today, Donalda Motor Service operates from its Johnson Street dealership in Maffra and its agricultural site on McMahon Drive, as well as a branch in Bairnsdale. The business represents Mitsubishi Motors and Mahindra, alongside agricultural machinery and equipment.
Services include new and used vehicle sales, finance and insurance, specialist servicing, parts supply, and after-hours farm machinery call-outs. Three generations of the McDonald family currently run the business – Colin McDonald and his wife Jennifer, their son Murray, and Murray’s daughter Jemma.
Jennifer McDonald manages the Bairnsdale branch, extending the family’s commitment to serving regional Victoria.
“Donalda has always been about more than cars or machinery—it’s about people,” Colin McDonald says. “Our family has been proud to serve Maffra for nearly a century, and to stand alongside the VACC for 100 years. This milestone is as much about our community as it is about our business.”
Under Colin McDonald’s leadership, Donalda has embraced new technologies, supported local apprenticeships, and maintained high service standards for country customers.
VACC chief executive Peter Jones congratulated Donalda Motor Service on reaching the centenary milestone.
“Centenary members like Donalda demonstrate the enduring strength of Victoria’s automotive industry,” Jones says. “Colin McDonald and his family exemplify what it means to be a trusted local business—innovative, resilient, and deeply connected to their community.”
The McDonald family remains focused on ensuring the workshop continues as a mainstay of Maffra for future generations.
Automobile Magazine-AU
