Established with the intention of servicing the Victorian goldfields, Cobb & Co quickly developed to become the most successful company of its kind during the 19th Century, pioneering transport routes, delivering mail, gold and passengers throughout the country and contributing greatly to social growth and the expansion of pastoral settlement across Australia. Cobb & Co was set up in Melbourne, Victoria in 1853 by Freeman Cobb, John Murray Peck, John B Lamber and James Swanton.

The company was enormously successful and had branches and franchises throughout much of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Japan. At its peak, Cobb & Co operated along a network of tracks that extended further than those of any other coach system in the world – its coaches travelled 44,800km per week and 6,000 (out of their 30,000) horses were harnessed every day.