Shuttling back to 1922 and you would have found the Balcatta Hotel sitting where Big Rock Toyota is today. The Balcatta Hotel was also known as the Seven Mile Inn and was surrounded by market gardens.

Derelict during the late 30’s, the old hotel was finally demolished after World War II and became a Hotel and then a timber yard and that was how Vern Wheatley, Chairman of the Automotive Holdings Group and Colin Rockman, retired Dealer Principal of Big Rock Toyota, found it during a drive north in 1977.

By 1979 the dealership was built and opened for business on the 17th May of that year.

The original theme of the dealership was Japanese and the showroom and offices built in a Pagoda style and a ritual rock garden at the front. However three weeks before opening, Colin thought, what if the people don’t take to the theme? A commissioned survey did indeed reveal that Red Indians were more acceptable to Perth people and the so the legendary Chief became the figurehead, the ritual garden became the Big Rock and of course the "Big Rock are Cheaper" slogan became part of marketing history.

Although the original chief of Big Rock Toyota has now retired, new Dealer Principal Ken Hogan intends to build on the work of his predecessor.

"We’ll follow up the twenty seven year foundation Big Rock Toyota has
and take it into the future," he said.