Australia’s notorious 38 bikie gangs revealed
A new intelligence report has revealed there are 38 bikie gangs with 475 chapters across Australia. See the full list of who they are.
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Forget any notion Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCGs) are just a bunch of blokes in social clubs talking about their love of bikes, beer and beards.
According to the latest intelligence from police forces across Australia, violence and crime is “common” among OMCG members with half of all members arrested for at least one recent criminal offence with one in four of those for violence and intimidation.
And almost three quarters of all members are busy involved in some form of recent organised crime offences including commercial drug supply and money laundering.
The latest Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s (ACIC) National Gangs List (NGL) has painted a disturbing picture of the level of criminality associated with the groups whose numbers have barely changed in decades despite laws to counter their existence.
According to the latest NGL, there were 38 OMCGs with 475 chapters in Australia made up of 4718 patched members, 951 prospects (a voted probationary or nominee members) and 4585 associates.
The size of the gangs varied widely with one quarter having 25 or fewer members but with more than half having a chapter in multiple states and territories.
The age of gang members also varied greatly with the average age being 33 years to 58 years.
According to the ACIC intelligence, contrary to some notions the threat of OMCGs had been over stated and they were not acting as criminal organisations, violence and profit-motivated offending was “common” in Australian OMCGs and concentrated around a small group of members.
“One in four members had been apprehended for a recent violence and intimidation offence, while half – 52 per cent – had a recorded history of violent offending,” according to the federal government’s Institute of Criminology that crunched the ACIC intelligence.
A small number of chapters accounted for a disproportionate amount of recorded crime while some chapters had not had any members arrested by police for recent offending.
But despite that concentration of offending and harm to a small group of members, the study concluded joining an OMCG increased memberss’ propensity to commit crimes.
“Given that previous Australian research has tended to suggest the organised criminality of OMCGs has been overstated, it is of particular interest that the evidence suggests that OMCG members, chapters and gangs are indeed frequently involved in offences associated with organised crime,” it concluded.
It added given half of all chapters and three-quarters of the gangs on the NGL had members with a recent history of organised crime-type offending it was clear they were criminal organisations.
“In 11 gangs, both office bearers and other members were involved in organised crime, indicative of their status as criminal organisations,” it concluded.
It was also found OMCGs were now also working with non-OMCG members to facilitate crimes and justice interventions were best targeted to those loose informal networks in a “rotten apples scenario” to break the prevalence.
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Here is a look at the 38 OMCGs.
BANDIDOS AUSTRALIA
Founded in 1983 by former members of the city chapter of the Comanchero MC. One of the biggest clubs nationally with more than 45 chapters in Australia but affiliate chapters in South East Asia notably Thailand and Vietnam.
BLACK UHLANS AUSTRALIA
Allegedly founded in the 1970s by 10 former members of the Fourth Reich MC, who left that club and fled to Queensland. Described as one of the more volatile and unstable groups with a penchant for weapon stockpiles; particularly strong in Queensland and Victoria.
BROTHERS MC
Use the motto Brothers Forever Forever Brothers or just FBBF. Has run campaigns to unite 1 per centers against legislation outlawing their operations and prides itself on being a new club with old school rules.
CLUB DEROES PERTH
Formed in Perth, West Australia in 1971. Joined forces with three other Perth-based OMCGs – the Coffin Cheaters, Gypsy Jokers, Gods Garbage – to push out the New Zealand-based Mongrel Mob who wanted to set up a chapter locally.
COFFIN CHEATERS
Founded in Perth, Western Australia, in 1971 before joining forces with a Victorian-based club using the name in 1999. The club became the first to expand internationally, patching over two Norway clubs under their brand.
COMANCHERO AUSTRALIA
Formed by William “Jock” Ross in Sydney in 1968 and named after the John Wayne movie The Comancheros. Second breakaway chapter formed in 1982 by Anthony “Snoddy” Spencer. The second chapter later became the Bandidos’ first Australian chapter.
DESCENDANTS
Founded in South Australia in 1974 by brothers Tom Mackie and Perry Mackie who started the club after arriving in Australia from New Zealand. The brothers lost a Federal Court appeal against their deportation from Australia in July 2022.
DEVIL’S HENCHMEN TASMANIA
Formed in Tasmania in 1970, members deny they are part of an “organised crime group”. In a submission to Tasmania Police in 2018, member Andrew Murphy wrote they “have never and will never identify ourselves as ‘one per centers’”.
DIABLOS AUSTRALIA
Founded in San Bernardino, California in 1961, with a chapter in Pattaya, Thailand established in 1999 before chapters expanded globally. The Australian chapter was established in 2014.
THE FINKS AUSTRALIA
Formed in Adelaide, South Australia in 1969. Expelled Coffin Cheaters member Troy Mercanti established the Perth chapter in 2008 by joining forces with SA Fink member Frank Condo. Known for its tight secrecy and has been a focus of the infamous NSW Police gang-busting Raptor Squad.
FOOLISH FEW MC MELBOURNE
Believed to have started in Coburg in Victoria and known largely only in Melbourne. Claims to be a social club but authorities think otherwise.
FOURTH REICH
Began as a brother club of Gypsy Jokers in 1974, made up largely of veterans from the Vietnam War. Not long after, 10 members from its Wollongong base moved to Queensland to start a new club affiliated with the Black Uhlans. The clubs are still aligned.
GLADIATORS AUSTRALIA
Founded in 1960, it is one of the oldest clubs established in Australia. Born out of the motorcycle speedway scene in Maitland NSW before the tribal biker group moved into outlaw gang status.
GODS GARBAGE MC
Established in Western Australia, notably about the Albany and Mandurah areas and considered one of the “big four” of clubs in the State since the 1970s and 1980s alongside Coffin Cheaters, Gypsy Jokers and Club Deroes.
GYPSY JOKER MC AUSTRALIA
Formed in San Francisco, California in April 1956 before expanding to include chapters in Norway, Germany, South Africa. Australian chapter was formed in November 1969 made up of former members of the St Mary’s Motorcycle Club in Sydney’s west.
HELLS ANGELS MC
Arguably one of the most infamous clubs globally, was founded in California in 1948 and expanded to Australia (Sydney and Melbourne) in 1974. Members have been involved in all forms of crimes but largely drug distribution, arms trafficking and money laundering. Currently further expanding in Victoria.
HIGHWAY 61
A New Zealand-based OMCG with mainly Maori and Pacific Islander members. Expanded to Australia in the 1980s, setting up a Brisbane chapter in 1998. Has a huge membership about the Gold Coast although a mass defection to the Bandidos weakened their local influence.
HIGHWAYMEN
Formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1954. Is all about loyalty and mandatory member meetings and mottos and sayings declaring how tough and scary they are who fear no-one. Have military veterans in their ranks and are a rival of the Outlaws.
THE HUNS MC
Known to be in Melbourne and not believed to be directly involved in criminality but in the past police have claimed was susceptible to being targeted by other larger guns to procure guns and ammunition.
IMMORTALS AUSTRALIA
Established in 1971 the Immortals MC is a motorcycle club based in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. “An old school club with old school values”.
IRON HORSEMEN AUSTRALIA
Formed in Ohio in the mid-1960s and have chapters worldwide. Among groups declared criminal organisations by the Queensland Newman Government in 2013.
LIFE+AND+DEATH
Founded in 1973 and controlling the Hawkesbury region to Sydney’s west. Members suspected to be involved in drugs, guns and money laundering with a number of incidents including shootings related to the club.
LONE WOLF MC AUSTRALIA
Founded in Australia in 1971, has more than a dozen chapters throughout Australia, including a strong presence in NSW where they have many connections on the mid and north coast, and at times have had a strong presence in Queensland.
MOBSHITTER AUSTRALIA
Founded in 1970 in Hurstville, in Sydney’s south before expanding to South Australia in the late 70s. Closely aligned with the Bandidos, although some of Adelaide’s members patched over to the Rebels. Current numbers are small.
MONGOLS AUSTRALIA
Known also as Mongols Nation, started in the US in 1969 as a Hispanic rival to Hells Angels although they take their name from 12th century rampager Genghis Khan. Came to Australia in the 1970s and stunned authorities with how quickly they grew to 300 members. In permanent war with Hells Angels.
NOMADS MC AUSTRALIA
Founded in Newcastle (NSW) in 1968 and has since expanded to have a presence in all states and territories. In 2009 the then national president patched over to the Hells Angels sparking a feud between the groups.
ODIN’S WARRIORS MC AUSTRALIA
A central clubhouse was shut down in Queensland this year as part of that state’s tough anti-biker laws introduced more than a decade ago. In 1997 six people suffered gunshot wounds when 85 warring Outlaws and Odin’s Warriors went to war in Mackay.
OUTCASTS AUSTRALIA
Established in Sydney Australia in 1969 and a recently very public supporter of the four big clubs including Hells Angels. Very small and of low profile.
OUTLAWS AUSTRALIA
Formed in the United States in the 1930s, soon spreading to create more than 150 chapters worldwide. Australian chapters emerged from 1994. Their skull motif is known as Charlie. Are in permanent stand-off with Hells Angels and Odin’s Warriors. Small presence in Sydney’s west.
PHOENIX MC SYDNEY
Little known gang with a low profile but said to have white supremacist views. Not to be confused with the completely legal Phoenix Motorcycle Club who promote “sane, sober and safe motorcycyling”.
REBELS MC AUSTRALIA
Remains the largest gang in Australia accounting for almost half of all bikies in the country. Its president Alex Vella was famously exiled to Malta. The only major home grown gang formed in Brisbane and has been tied to murders and drug manufacturing and trafficking.
RED DEVILS MC AUSTRALIA
A supporter and feeder club for the Hells Angels. Started in the late 1990s in Belgium before spreading across Europe and Australia, China and Turkey.
RENEGADES MC QUEENSLAND
Started up independently of its US namesake around early 1970s in Brisbane, Queensland. Has chapters in Cairns, Mackay, Redcliff and Townsville. Was in a territorial war with Gypsy Jokers and Odin’s Warriors in the late 1990s.
ROCK MACHINE 1% MC
Founded in Canada in 1986, it has since grown to have 11 chapters in Australia. Was formed from an alliance of affiliates in opposition to the Hells Angels. Supports ‘To the Life Until Death’ motto.
SATAN’S RIDERS LAUNCESTON
Been around since the 1980s but came to prominence in 2016 when the Bandidos attempted to set up drug operations in their patch and that of the Rebels and Devil’s Henchmen.
SATUDARAH MC AUSTRALIA
Set up in the Netherlands in 1990 with Indonesian migrant workers, before expanding to Sydney, Adelaide and south east Queensland in 2015. By 2019 established in all states largely through disaffected members of other gangs and Pacific Islanders, Dutch and Eastern Europeans. Its name means “one-blood” in Malay.
VIGILANTIES MC
Formed in Melbourne in the 1950s they are not considered 1 per centers but are a structured group. Have close associations with the Vikings, Black Uhlans and Hells Angels.
VIKINGS MC
Members maintain they are group of social riders, but authorities had previously accused them of being a “puppet club” for the Hells Angels. Not to be confused with the completely legal Viking Group of licensed clubs.
Know more? Email crimeinvestigations@news.com.au
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