Dale Elphinstone

Dale Brendon Elphinstone (born 1951) is an Australian engineer, manufacturer and business executive. He is the founder and executive chairman of the Elphinstone Group, a privately held engineering and manufacturing company headquartered in north-west Tasmania.

Elphinstone has been active in Australia’s mining equipment manufacturing sector since the 1970s. His career has included the formation of the Caterpillar Elphinstone joint venture in the 1990s, which was acquired by Caterpillar Inc. in 2000, and the subsequent re-establishment of Elphinstone-branded manufacturing following Caterpillar’s withdrawal from underground equipment production in Burnie, Tasmania.

According to independent wealth rankings, Elphinstone has been listed among Australia’s wealthiest individuals since at least 2010. In 2025, he was ranked 131st on Australia's Richest 250, with an estimated net worth of $1.29 billion.

Early life and training In 1966, aged 15, he commenced an apprenticeship with William Adams, the Caterpillar dealer for Victoria and Tasmania. After completing his trade qualifications, Elphinstone worked as a field service mechanic at mine sites across Tasmania and King Island. In 1973, he travelled overseas to work with Canadian Caterpillar dealer Finning.

Business career Elphinstone established Dale B Elphinstone Pty Ltd in 1975, laying the foundations for what later became the Elphinstone Group. The company expanded during the late 1970s and 1980s through the modification and manufacture of underground mining equipment, before entering a joint venture with Caterpillar in the mid-1990s.

Awards and recognition Elphinstone was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in 2003.

Wealth In 2010, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that Elphinstone ranked among Australia’s wealthiest individuals on the BRW Rich List, with an estimated net worth of $515 million.

In 2025, he was ranked 131st on Australia’s Richest 250, with an estimated net worth of $1.29 billion, according to Matthews Australasia Media.