Leyland Australia Moke History

Australia began assembling the Mini Moke in 1966, initially sold as the Morris Mini Moke. When the Leyland rebrand arrived in March 1973, it became the Leyland Moke — and Australia was actually the more significant Moke market by that time, since British production had ended in 1968. The Australian version differed meaningfully from its British predecessor: larger 13-inch wheels (replacing the original 10-inch units, adopted from 1968), wider wheel arches, and distinctive tubular-framed 'deck-chair' seats made it more practical for the beach and light off-road use that Australians demanded.

The Moke was powered by a 998 cc engine initially, switching to a 1,098 cc unit mid-production, then back to an imported 998 cc motor from 1976 when Australian Design Rule 27A (anti-pollution regulations) came into force. The most memorable variant was the 1977 'Californian' — featuring the larger 1,275 cc engine, denim seat covers, spoked wheels, and tubular 'roo bar' bumpers — which gave the ageing design a fashion-forward second wind. Production at Enfield continued until 1981, with approximately 26,000 Mokes built in Australia across the full 1966–1981 run.