Bestoys Forts, Castles & Garages

Another perennial staple of any manufacturer of wooden toys and nursery furniture was (and still is) the motor garage or service station. The garage was to model cars what a doll's house was to little dolls - a scene setter for the imaginative play of children.
Bestoys consistently had two or three models of garages always available. Its wooden western American fort and the mediaeval castle were late additions to the Bestoys range of play settings.

1957

Bestoys listed 3 Service Stations in their catalogue:

"LARGE" SERVICE STATION,
"NORMAL" SERVICE STATION and
'MEDIUM SERVICE STATION

These three models were decorated with BP wet-application transfers, supplied by BP.

"LARGE" SERVICE STATION

"Large" Service Station from Bestoys c1958 S. Hoffnung catalogue

"NORMAL" SERVICE STATION

"Normal" Service Station from Bestoys 1963 catalogue. The original c1958 version had BP decorations

"MEDIUM" SERVICE STATION

"Medium" Garage from Bestoys c1958 S. Hoffnung catalogue

The Space Age had caught up to the old-fashioned garages and Bestoys introduced these new designs just after the Sputnik was launched.
The "Large" and "Normal" Service Stations each were supplied in a carton and fully assembled apart from the installation of the tower which slotted into place, the garage featured a celluloid window with spray-painted muntins. The bowsers were made of timber with the hoses fitted with chrome-plated 'nozzles' and fixed to the bowsers with a chrome-plated nozzle holder.

The "Medium" Service Station was based on an older style garage featuring a sloping roof, a curved celluloid window and a bi-fold lift-up door. The side had a fixed ramp.

('Duel' of course, should have read 'Dual')

1963-1965

By 1963, the livery - and sponsorship - had changed from BP to Esso but all otherwise remained the same as c1958 until 1965 when the "LARGE" SERVICE STATION was discontinued.
The 1965 catalogue showed only 2 Service Stations:

"NORMAL" SERVICE STATION and
'MEDIUM SERVICE STATION

Service Station ("Normal" Service Station) from Bestoys 1969 catalogue

"Medium" Service Station from Bestoys 1969 catalogue

1969	Go to N.E.S.Toy

1969 saw the introduction by Jim Bonaretti of a new range of economically-priced toys and nursery furniture branded N.E.S.Toy and this necessitated the discontinuance of the "NORMAL" Service Station. (In effect, a similar-sized Service Station was launched as N.E.S.Toy).
Adding to the remaining "MEDIUM" SERVICE STATION in the Bestoys range, a new concept in Service Stations - the "MUSTANG" MOTOR PIT

"Mustang" Motor Pit from Bestoys 1969 catalogue

"Medium" Service Station from Bestoys 1969 catalogue

While the "MEDIUM" Service Station retained its Esso livery and remained essentially the same 1958 model, the "MUSTANG" Motor Pit was strikingly original in design and generic in livery. Its bowsers were simplified into one piece piece of particle board silk-screened in two colours on the front. The shop window was a squared-off panel of celluloid and the hardboard base was spray-painted undercoat and then spatter-sprayed in contrasting colour.

1973

By 1973, both the "MEDIUM" Service Station and the "MUSTANG" Motor Pit had been removed from the Bestoys range leaving it for the first time since its inception without a garage or service station - the N.E.S.Toy Garage proving to be an excellent seller.
The void was quickly filled by two new play settings:

CASTLE
FORT

CASTLE

FORT

1978

With the appointment of George Wills & Co Ltd NSW as exclusive distributor of the Bestoys and N.E.S.Toy ranges, changes were made to the toys and nursery furniture offered.
A new Service Station was introduced:

BP Garage

BP GARAGE (Small)
This was designed in ultra-modern lines with plastic petrol pumps and a standing signpost. The roof had a ramp leading onto it and the front had a curved celluloid window.
Once again sponsored by BP, the façade was silk-screened in eye-catching green and yellow and the base in vibrant green.

The Fort and Castle remained unaltered

Fort from Bestoys 1978 catalogue

Castle from Bestoys 1978 catalogue

BP Garage from Bestoys 1978 catalogue

1982-1983

These were the final changes Jim Bonaretti made to his Bestoys range of Service Stations adding a larger, more elaborate SUPER BP SERVICE STATION. Almost all the painted surfaces of this painstakingly detailed item were silk-screened in elaborate designs.

Super BP Service Station from Bestoys 1982 catalogue

Super BP Service Station and BP Service Station Small from the 1983 Bestoys "New Releases" pamphlet

Super BP Service Station and BP Service Station Small

These overall dimensions were listed on Bestoys 1984 Specifications sheet:

Super BP Service Station: 18 cm high x 60 cm wide x 40 cm long - some assembly required - packed in a carton 61 cm x 41 cm x 12 cm

BP Service Station Small: 15 cm high x 40.5 cm wide x 29 cm long - some assembly required - packed in a carton 41 cm x 30 cm x 10 cm

Fort and Castle

These overall dimensions were listed on Bestoys 1984 Specifications sheet:

Fort: 31 cm high x 60.5 cm wide x 60.5 cm long - supplied unassembled - packed in a carton 64 cm x 33 cm x 11 cm

Castle: 40 cm high x 59 cm wide x 48 cm long - supplied unassembled - packed in a carton 38 cm x 61 cm x 10 cm

Bestoys "Fort Apache" Find

January, 2025
Not so much a "find" but a surprise communication from someone who has had the Bestoys Fort Apache since receiving it as a Christmas present in 1974 or 1975. This item is in near-perfect condition and is a very good example of the Western fort.
My sincere thanks go to the owner for contacting me and allowing me to publish the photos provided.

Bestoys "Fort Apache" sent in by owner in January, 2025

Other Australian Manufacturers of Wooden Garages

Of course, Bestoys was not the only wooden toy manufacturer in Australia to produce garages, service stations, forts or castles. Prominent among the competitors was Lumberjack Toys whose range can be seen in its own dedicated page.
For other manufacturers, not much can be gathered from available information scouring the vintage toy markets, but the search continues...

Walther & Stevenson Playthings Catalogue 1956-1957

Walther & Stevenson Pty Ltd of 395 George Street, Sydney, regularly published a toy catalogue called "Playthings". In this 1956-1957 edition, two garages are listed at a retail prices of 29/6 or ₤1/9/6 (one pound, nine shillings and six pence) and 33/9 or ₤1/13/9 (one pound, thirteen shillings and nine pence) - a hefty sums back then! The average basic wage for a male factory worker was around 300/- (300 shillings or ₤15.00) per week so, buying a garage for young Whats-his-name and his toy Meccano Dinky cars would cost the male worker on the basic wage around 10% of it... something to consider...

Two garages offered in Walther & Stevenson's Playthings catalogue of 1956-1957

The cover of Walther & Stevenson's Playthings catalogue of 1956-1957

Pages 20 and 21 of Walther & Stevenson's Playthings catalogue of 1956-1957

Curved windows, as can be seen in the smaller service station, were made of rigid cellophane, a product invented 50 years earlier. Bestoys employed this product extensively in its garages, dressers and doll's houses...

Millowood of Ballarat
One that does show up on a number of web pages is Millowood of Ballarat, Victoria (Australia). The dates attributed to the various examples found and shown below are quite broad in scope and have been transcribed exactly as listed.
What can be gleaned is that the company was Tanji Pty Limited trading as Millowood and the contact was John Thorpe.
This company appears on The Australian Toy Association (ATA) members' list from (at least) 6th May, 2003 until (at least) October, 2009. It is interesting that on the ATA's August 2006 listing details of the company's range of products as "Cars, Manufacturer, Vehicle Accessories", and same again in the October 2009 list.
While the factory may have been in Ballarat (as printed on the actual items), mail was directed to PO Box 272, Sebastopol (Victoria) 3356, 4.5 kms away. Telephone number was 03 5335 5766 and fax 03 5335 6399.
Several examples found assert the production date of the 1970s but this may be incorrect as there is no evidence that the company existed before the 2000s.

In October 2004, Tanji Pty Limited T/as Millowood was an exhibitor in the 2005 Australian Toy, Hobby and Nursery Fair on Stand D24 at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

These may have been some of the items exhibited there.

Listed on Gumtree on 6th March, 2024, this example is in very good condition with its bowsers intact and minimal play wear. The ramp is a separate piece of particleboard leading to the roof-top parking. All the ramps on the Bestoys garages were slit from the roof, bent and stapled to the base. This was possible using the more pliable Masonite rather than the rigid particleboard used here.
(It may still be available here: https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/ballarat-central/toys-indoor/toy-fuel-station-millowood-ballarat/1322673996)

Millowood Garage listed on Gumtree on 6th March, 2024

Found on the website Planet Diecast Forums, this Millowood garage may be dated to c2001, given the post is dated around December 2016. This model features a flat roof, screen-printed to give the impression of a hip roof. The decoration on the façade and base are similar to the example above and it is most likely that the bowsers are not the original.
With sincere thanks to Planet Diecast and with no intention to infringe copyright.
https://www.planetdiecast.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=285&id=93858&limit=15&limitstart=75&Itemid=2455

Millowood Garage on Planet Diecast December 2016

The same model Millowood Garage was sold at auction for $80 (AU) on 17th November, 2019 by Donington Auctions in Melbourne. It is an excellent intact example complete with original bowsers.
With sincere thanks to Donington Auctions and with no intention to infringe copyright.
The item can be found here: https://online.doningtonauctions.com.au/m/lot-details/index/catalog/11/lot/1889
and the auction information here: https://online.doningtonauctions.com.au/m/view-auctions/info/id/11

Millowood Garage sold by Donington Auctions November 2019

On 8th January, 2021, a seller on Instagram sold a Millowood Garage with a roof ramp for $24 (AU). While it was listed as a "Vintage 1970's Wooden Petrol Station" it is unlikely to have been that from that time period. The accompanying images give a good indication of how the item was made.
(It may still be available for viewing here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CJx0EHNn_GS/?img_index=1)

Millowood Garage sold through Instagram January 2021

The sides appear to be of dressed radiata pine while the remaining components are of screen-printed particleboard, glued and nailed together. The bowsers are missing but they most likely would have been of screen-printed timber with plastic fittings.

Millowood Garage sold through Instagram January 2021

Found of Facebook Marketplace in March 2024, the seller of this Millowood Garage also states it is from the 1970's and asks $50 (AU). It is in fair play worn condition but still intact. The bowsers are missing indicating that they were likely originally supplied unattached to the base.
It may still be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/410875064761357/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Adbe70a36-fecc-4a77-811f-5198a38e2303

Millowood Garage found on Marketplace March 2024

Details of Millowood Garage found on Marketplace March 2024

Millowood Garage found on Marketplace March 2024

Listed on Worthpoint this 'VTG."TOY PARKING GARAGE STRUCTURE", MILLOWOOD BALLARAT, MADE IN AUSTRALIA, 1970's' is in very good condition but missing one of the bowsers. The accompanying text has been edited and is detailed below.
This item can be found here - with thanks and with no copyright infringement intended: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vtg-australian-toy-parking-garage-468840662

Millowood Garage found on Worthpoint March 2024

VTG."TOY PARKING GARAGE STRUCTURE", MILLOWOOD BALLARAT, MADE IN AUSTRALIA, 1970's AWESOME, VINTAGE TOY CAR "PARKING GARAGE STRUCTURE" 1970's ERA, MADE IN AUSTRALIA. THIS HEAVY, MILLOWOOD BALARAT STRUCTURE IS LONG AND HIGH AND WIDE. THIS ITEM IS SO COOL FOR LITTLE CARS TO PLAY AROUND AND PARK! IT HAS A GAS FILLING STATION, LONG RAMPS, AND INDIVIDUAL MARKED PARKING SPACES ON THE ROOF AND INSIDE. IT EVEN HAS A HANDICAP PARKING SPOT. WONDERFUL, SOLID, DURABLE CONSTRUCTION. IT IS ORANGE AND A DEEP DARK TURQUOISE IN COLOR DESIGN. IT LOOKS LIKE SO MUCH FUN TO PLAY WITH. NOT SURE OF MANUFACTURER. IT IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. GREAT, FUN VINTAGE PIECE. ONLY THE BEST CONSTRUCTION FROM THE AUSTRALIANS! Template by Froo Froo Frooition

Millowood Garage found on Worthpoint March 2024

One more on Marketplace found March, 2024. This one is missing one of the bowsers but is in otherwise very good condition.
With thanks to the Seller and Facebook Marketplace: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/715913910743533/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Aa130784b-47f9-4989-b19b-01770220ebcb

Millowood Garage found on Marketplace March 2024

Detail of the Millowood Garage found on Marketplace March 2024

Millowood Garage found on Marketplace March 2024

Again in June 2024, a different style of service station from Millowood.
With thanks to the Seller and Facebook Marketplace: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1252951395681065/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Af0ffcb8e-c05b-4acb-9552-c8bb9f795131

Millowood Service Station listed on Facebook Marketplace June 2024

Another listing for the Millowood Service Station was on Facebook Marketplace in December 2024.
With thanks to the seller and Facebook Marketplace. No copyright infringement intended: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1238984214064929/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A8026d2f5-1577-4ddb-ab28-2a633b06c3bc

Above and below: Millowood Service Station on Facebook Marketplace December 2024