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Executive
Chairman John Murphy
CEO Christine Clancy
Publisher Sarah Baker
Client Success Regina Fellner
Trader Group Sales
Manager James Rock Printing IVE print, NSW ISSN 1449-6348
Issue 522
CHECK
GORSKI TTRU HARDOX 4 AXLE DOG TIPPING TRAILER
NEW 2025 GORSKI TTRU HARDOX 4 AXLE DOG TIPPING TRAILER
Body up to 22m3 approx. 8.300m long x 1.200m high approx.
$126,445 inc.GST + ON ROADS
GORSKI TTRU HARDOX 3 AXLE DOG TIPPING TRAILER 48T SPEC
NEW 2025 GORSKI TTRU HARDOX 3 AXLE DOG TIPPING TRAILER 48T SPEC
Body up to 14m3 approx. 6.000m long x 1.050m high approx.
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GORSKI TTRU HARDOX 2 AXLE SEMI TIPPING TRAILER
NEW 2025 GORSKI TTRU HARDOX 2 AXLE SEMI TIPPING TRAILER
Body up to 21m3 approx. 8.000m long x 1.200m high approx.
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GORSKI TTRU HARDOX 3 AXLE SEMI TIPPING TRAILER
NEW 2025 GORSKI TTRU HARDOX 3 AXLE SEMI TIPPING TRAILER
Demolition Spec Airbag Suspension
Body up to 38m3 approx. 9.600m long x 1.800m high approx.
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Trees, trucks and thousands of people were on show at Casino on August 1 and 2. Image: Prime Creative Media
Welcome
to Issue 522 of your Deals on Wheels Magazine
If there’s one thing 2025 has proven to me over and over again it is that trucking people turn up, no matter what!
Having been one of the 40,000 people to enjoy the hospitality of the beautiful Northern Rivers town of Casino for the 2025 version of their ever-expanding truck show, I was left amazed at the dedication and resilience of those who came along.
While Casino is one of only a few truck shows in Australia to benefit from the beauty of parking up on bitumen roads rather than ovals or racetracks, having more than 550 trucks turn up from all corners of the country is no mean feat… particularly when it was a bit on the cold side and there was rain about.
A particular highlight was the introduction
of the Friday Night Lights element of the show which saw a mini-truck parade roll into town as the sun was going down with LED light shows aplenty.
The trucks parked up for a couple of hours with their colourful illumination on show, while live music cranked out of the back of a semitrailer and locals served up food and fun for the enthusiastic crowd.
A big congratulations to all involved, and a special shout out to Sharon Davidson from Richmond Shire Council who has been leading the communications for the truck show for many years and will be retiring at the end of this month, in the wake of Casino’s biggest ever turn out.
We have plenty of Casino photos to share from page 72. There is also coverage of the Adelaide Camp Quality Convoy (page 53), the Mullewa Truck Muster (page 64) and a prequel of a new event Drive for Depression which has an important message to share (page 86).
For the Kenworth lovers out there, and we know there are plenty of them, Tiane Gavillucci tracked down the 1,000th Kenworth to roll off the line at Bayswater in 1974, a K125 CR and explored its 50-year journey in the Australian transport game (page 92).
Hino hits the road with driverless trucks in Japan
A new partnership with a road building company in Japan has seen a fleet of autonomous trucks released into the wild
Testing road surfaces for durability against heavy trucks is no simple thing.
At Japanese company Taisei Rotec they built a 909-metre test track in Fukushima prefecture and had trucks roll over it on a loop to measure the impact and strength of each product.
Now, in partnership with Hino, they’ll be testing 24 hours, seven days a week, with five prime movers and specially designed trailers on a constant loop.
This new process won’t need a squad of drivers though – the five trucks will do the work on their own, autonomously.
The trucks in question will be heavyduty Hino Profia (700 Series) and this test represents the first time in Japan unmanned trucks with Level 4 autonomous driving ability will be put into 24-hour commercial operation.
“Level 4 autonomous vehicles are capable of performing all driving tasks without human intervention and this is the first commercialised example within a designated operational area,” says Richard Emery, President and CEO of Hino Australia.
“This is an excellent example of the cutting-edge technology and innovation that Hino Motors, Ltd. is capable of, and while the initiative is based in Japan, it is an insight into
what the future holds for Australia.”
Road surfaces are repeatedly subjected to traffic loads from the wheels of cars and trucks, eventually causing cracks and road surface failure.
Taisei Rotec’s continuous program is expected to significantly reduce the time and labour required for evaluating new road surfaces, with the data gathered from the operation helping to improve road surface durability and reduce long-term emissions.
Lidar and camera technology onboard the autonomous trucks detects obstacles while Global Navigation Satellite Systems linked to an automated traffic control system help maintain safe distances between vehicles and aid in movements between the test track and truckyard without human input.
The Japanese project is not the first time a Hino truck has been trialled in autonomous mode. In 2022, Transurban tested a Hino Profia (700 Series) on one of its toll roads in Victoria.
“The autonomous truck testing with Taisei Rotec is more than just another example of Hino’s ongoing leadership in technology and innovation – it also demonstrates our commitment to trialling new and emerging technologies to ensure they meet the needs of our customers,” Emery says.
Autonomous Hino 700 Series vehicles will be part of full-scale road surface durability tests with road construction company Taisei Rotec.
Image: Hino Australia
Unit 1/71 Axis Place, Larapinta, Brisbane, QLD, 4110, Australia
Built from scraps, this Mack SuperTruck gets crowds roaring as its engine tears through Aussie racetracks
Words: Tiane Gavillucci
Images: Marcus Prillwitz
Check out that speed!
If you close your eyes, you can almost taste it. The smell of burnt rubber mixed with a dash of fuel. The sound of screeching tires and engines being revved as smoke fills the air, clouding crowd views.
Some would argue, there’s nothing better. And for SuperTruck lovers, this statement is true.
The love for the sport is only growing day by day, but back when truck racing was foreign to most, everyday trucks made their way to the track.
“People would turn up to the race with their truck, unhook the trailer, race it, then hook the trailer back up and be on their way,” Marcus Prillwitz says.
“That’s how it was when the sport first started in Australia, and now it’s evolved into purpose-built vehicles.”
When Marcus was “younger and more
energetic”, he built Number 31, the 1985 Mack Super-Liner, in the workshop of his old company, Victorian Diesel Services.
“There’s not a lot of Mack left in it,” he says.
“I’m rebuilding the engine right now actually.
It’s 11-years-old, so driving the truck like you hate it certainly takes its toll.”
It’s a monster he stitched together himself in the guts of his old workshop before he sold the business.
What started off as a Frankenstein project of AAA Truck Wrecking’s bits and pieces has become a machine dressed for battle.
“The front end is made out of a Freightliner. It’s a ’93 model Mack chassis and the rear end is made out of a DAF. You’ll find that most trucks in this sport are built similarly,” he says.
As a former left-hand drive rig, this truck took six months to build from bare rails.
“It was converted into a right-hand drive and
Check out that trail
Get set… Go!
The SuperTruck races are always a nail biter!
the engine is a two-stroke Detroit,” he says.
“Really, the only aesthetically ‘Mack’ part about the truck is the cabin and the box.
This rig was converted into a right-hand drive
“For the first 10 years it raced as a manual truck, when most of the trucks in this field are automatic. Only last year did we put an automatic transmission in, which fundamentally makes it a fast truck.”
So, what makes a normal working truck, different to a SuperTruck?
“The suspensions are modified and so are the brake systems to make it stop better. There’s not a lot about this truck that would lean toward it being a working truck anymore.”
Converted, gutted and reborn as a raceready animal, this Mack now spits out over
1,300 horsepower – more than three times what the engine chuffs out in its usual form.
“To get the engine to that stage, none of it comes off the shelf,” he says. “You need custom-made injectors, different turbos, all sorts of modifications that may or may not work.”
He mentions it so casually as if it’s just another day cruising down the road in this big ol’ SuperTruck. But there’s nothing casual about what it takes to race trucks in Australia. With just four meets a year, each event becomes a battlefield to take home the top spot.
“My sons also race, so they alternate in the team’s race and I’m generally the driver for the championship race,” he says.
What a lineup!
Marcus and ‘Number 31’
The colour scheme is inspired by Hi-Tec Oils
“This year we didn’t get off to a very good start. I had engine trouble at the first meeting.”
And while Deals on Wheels spoke to Marcus, like a real truck lover, he was elbow deep fixing up his engine.
Decked out in red, black and white vinyl wrap, the Mack wears its sponsor – Hi-Tec Oils – proudly, matching with the livery on its race cars.
It’s the third livery since the truck got its tyres on the track, and before that it repped green and gold.
And speaking of gold, that’s the colour he brought home from the COVID Championships, with Marcus marking that win as his biggest SuperTruck achievement. But Marcus’ truck racing journey isn’t
slowing down either. Truck 31 was recently back at Mallala Motorsport Park for the first time in more than a decade, pulling crowds of over 10,000.
Wondering about the next race? We’ve got you covered. If you’re ready for pulse-racing, adrenaline spiking fun, head to the Morgan Park Raceway for the third round, taking place from September 5 to 7.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever raced there, so we’ll so how we’ll go,” Marcus says.
Despite the setbacks this year, number 31 will be fixed up and ready to go.
A rig forged from scraps, is now built with power and determination from Marcus and his boys and is ready to bring home another gold.
This truck is a winner
The post-race engine check is part of the fun
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Clasic CUMMINS
The mighty E5 Cummins engine in this 2016 Kenworth T609 has been rebuilt by Cummins, in chassis, and is ready to work hard for years to come.
The truck has had a super makeover, with new oil pump, timing gears and piston ring liners, among the refresh, along with a new clutch pressure plate and a Jake rocker spring-kit fitted. It also features the 18-speed Eaton Fuller Roadranger gearbox, Kenworth Air Glide suspension and the Ice Pack 2000.
To find out more phone Purga Truck and Machinery on 07 3171 1897
550hp Cummins E5 engine
18-speed Roadranger
$181,500
Purga, QLD
2016 KENWORTH T609 07 3171 1897
$5,595 +GST per month**
Enjoy peace of mind with your PacLease T410SAR Sleeper Cab full service lease,* including vehicle specification to maintenance and everything in between:
• $5,595 +GST per month**
• 48 month term
• Based on 150,000km per year
Or speak to your local PacLease dealer to tailor a package to suit your needs.
* Terms and conditions: Available at participating PacLease Franchises only. Excludes on road costs. Normal credit criteria apply.
** Sleeper Cab pricing. Day Cab – $4,995 +GST per month.
Scan
Get ready to get to work with this low kilometre 2007 Western Star 4800 FX tipper.
With just 595,000 kilometres on the Caterpillar C12 engine this truck has plenty of life left to give and its steel tipping body is ready for any challenge.
The day cab truck is being sold workshop checked and serviced, with a New South Wales roadworthy certificate in place.
Scan with your Smartphone camera to check out this deal!
If the time is near to upgrade the tipper in your fleet then this 2025 Hino 700 Series would be well worth a look.
Fitted with a heavy-duty AA Diesel Hardox Tipper Body with a 10 cubic metre capacity, two-way air-operated tailgate and an electric tarp the truck has been specifically built with tipping in mind.
Being the latest model, it includes the extensive SmartSafe package. It also has road-friendly Hendrickson HAS airbag rear suspension with the ECAS remote height control system, ALCOA polished alloy wheels and a 390 litre alloy fuel tank.
To find out more phone Prestige Truck Centre on 03 9999 5162
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Ripper ROAD TRAIN
Rated to 140 tonne this classic road train model 2022 Kenworth T659 has plenty to offer its next owner. It is set up with side tipper hydraulics and features the 50-inch sleeper with ice pack airconditioning.
There’s also a toolbox rack, auto greaser and the Meritor 52-190 differential linked to Kenworth 6-rod suspension.
Dressed in white, with tall stacks and a solid bullbar, it's a stand out.
For more information phone Barnsey’s Trailer and Truck Sales on 07 3073 8145
Scan with your Smartphone camera to check out this deal!
QT450 Hardox Floor sheet
If you’ve got the truck, Gorski Engineering has the tipping body you need to hit the job site.
The new 2025 Gorski Hardox Tipping Body with tow connection can hold up to 11 cubic metres, features QT450 Hardox steel, and Gorski premium full length pressed top rails and splash guards.
There’s a shovel rack fitted to the front of body with ergonomic steps too, and the tow connection is built to work with Bartlett trailer attachments fitted.
The list of features is long and each body is engineered to suit the customer’s need.
To find out more call Gorski Engineering on 03 9988 9139.
Gorski Hardox Tipping Body with tow connection 03 9988 9139
This cute little truck would be perfect for inner city or small town work and can be driven with a car license.
It is a 2009 Isuzu NNR200 model that has been fitted with a 3.3m dropside tray top for easy access. It has three seats, an automatic transmission, spring suspension and a fresh white duco.
For more information phone Complete Equipment Sales on 03 9998 4812.
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Super STRETCH
This 2025 Stonestar Extendable Drop Deck trailer with bi-fold ramp that offers plenty of flexibility to its owner. At its shortest, the trailer is 13.575m long, extending to 19.67m if required. It features a checker-plate steel floor, heavy duty K-Hitch Axle and Air Bag suspension and Jost twospeed legs.
A historic restoration of a classic Isuzu truck highlights how far the brand has come in nearly 50 years
You would have to be hiding under a rock to not know that this year is very much about all things new at Isuzu Australia with the muchawaited launch of a brand-new model range. As dealers and Isuzu’s loyal buyers were readying themselves for the explosion of new models, motors, and features, a loyal bunch of volunteers at Isuzu in Melbourne were beavering away behind the scenes bring new life to an old truck from 1976.
Check out the video here!
The result of that work, a stunning blue 1976 KS11 Elf 350 Tipper, was unveiled at the Brisbane Truck Show, juxtaposed against the 2025 equivalent.
It was a classic case of “then” and “now” and for truck lovers, and fans of restoration projects, the little Elf was hard to walk past.
Isuzu Australia's senior product development technician Darren Pottage says seeing the Elf on show in Brisbane was a proud moment for all of those who worked on the project.
“It’s been a long road to get this project completed and to see the old Elf Tipper up in lights again alongside its modern contemporary in Brisbane was just fantastic to see,” Pottage says. “These were one of the first Isuzu models to hit our shores back in the late sixties, early seventies, so this resto has been a fitting tribute to the longevity of the brand here in Australia.”
Rarely sighted on Australian roads these days, the Elf 350 was remarkably sourced from its original owner, a Sydney-based concrete and formwork business, still operating under a different name.
Famous for their reliability and ‘bullet proof’ durability, the KS11 350 model has a notable history in the Australian market, where it
ABOVE: The 1976 Elf 350 Tipper carries its original customer branding
BELOW: The classic and its 2025 equivalent at the Brisbane Truck Show
Images: Isuzu Australia
gained popularity for trade and construction applications throughout the 1970s and into the 80s.
“This model in particular really helped cement the Isuzu brand’s penchant for steadfast reliability, quality factory body build credentials and overall versatility,” Pottage says.
The Elf restoration process began in 2023 with a number of IAL staff participate during a range of stages, from stripping and disassembling the vehicle, through to sourcing and installing like-for-like parts and components as original.
“From the very beginning, the vision was to return this truck to its original condition, which involved removing the cab and factory tipper body, stripping-out the interior trim and essentially winding-up with a rolling chassis.
“Whilst still operational, a range of engine componentry needed a lot of attention, including a transmission re-build as well as sourcing a number of replacement parts,” Pottage says.
He says that with the truck being nearly 50 years old they knew it would be a challenge to source the model correct componentry for the project, but luckily the parts department came to the rescue.
The next stage of the restoration involved extensive panel work to the cabin and the factory tipper body, as well the refurbishment of the cabin interior. Even the original glass manufacturer was identified and secured to re-supply and re-seal the cabin.
“We engaged some brilliant local suppliers here in Melbourne’s west that shared our passion for this project and really threw themselves into the work.
“From the interior trimmers to the panel beaters and painters, we couldn’t have asked for a better group to collaborate with on this and the results really do speak for themselves.”
The concluding rite of passage for the Elf 350 Tipper was a striking new paint job in the original colour palette, before reassembling the iconic model in readiness for its final destination: the largest truck show in the southern hemisphere.
“It’s been a challenging, but also extremely rewarding, process to be a part of,” Pottage says.
“This is a part of our heritage and as a companywide achievement, it’s a piece of motoring history we can all look back on for years to come and say, ‘that’s us, that’s Isuzu right there’.”
Volunteers from Isuzu in Melbourne worked with specialist contractors to restore the old truck to be as good as new
The vision was to return this truck to its original
DEALS Data
Truck market continues to slow
With the first month of the new financial year now behind us, the market for new trucks and vans remains a little slower than this time last year.
Heavy Vehicles – Monthly Sales
Medium Vehicles – Monthly Sales
Light Vehicles – Monthly Sales
Isuzu is still topping the new truck sales charts in Australia. Image: Isuzu Australia
As at July 31, 2025 the combined sales of new trucks and commercial vans, for the year to date, was down 11.34 per cent when compared to the same time in 2024.
The latest T-Mark Data released by the Truck Industry Council shows 26,212 vehicles were delivered this year, compared to 29,564 in 2024.
For July itself, the year to date drop in sales volumes were reflected across two out of three sectors.
In the Heavy Duty sphere 1,118 trucks were sold this July, 132 less than in July 2024.
In the Medium Duty category, it was 91 less trucks – 531 in 2025 versus 622 in 2024.
The good news in the July figures was to be found in the Light Duty sector where dealers delivered 1,218 trucks this July, 71 trucks more than July 2024 when 1,147 changed hands. Isuzu and Fuso were the main beneficiaries of the sector growth.
Heavy Duty
With seven months of sales in the bag for this financial year Kenworth continues to dominate the heavy truck market with its 1,914 trucks sold reflecting a 23.2 per cent share of the market.
The battle for second and third in year to date sales sees Isuzu sliding into second spot with 1,370 deliveries recorded, 20 trucks
ahead of Volvo on 1,350 trucks for the year.
The balance of the brands, in terms of year to date results are: Scania (644), Mercedes-Benz (514), Fuso (442), Hino (428), Mack (405), DAF (286), UD Trucks (263), IVECO (232), MAN (186), Western Star (91), Freightliner (77), Dennis Eagle (58), Foton (1).
Medium Duty
From January 1 to July 31 this year 4,229 medium duty trucks have been delivered to fleets in Australia. This result is down from the 4,659 trucks sold for the same period last year.
Isuzu continues to dominate 2025 with 2,064 sales accounting for 48.8 per cent of the medium duty sales.
Hino’s 1,412 sales puts it in second position in this category, followed by Fuso (490), Hyundai (67), IVECO (61), UD Trucks (41), Mercedes-Benz (39), MAN (23), Volvo (21) and DAF (11).
Light Duty
With 870 less light duty trucks sold in the first seven months of this year when compared to 2024, it could be easy to be a little down on the sector.
However, the July results this year stand out as breaking the trend with 1,218 sales recorded versus 1,147 for the same month in 2024.
As we’ve come to expect in this segment Isuzu dominates with 3,934 sales so far this year, accounting for 52.9 per cent of all light duty truck sales.
Fuso’s 1,049 sales put them in second place, followed by Hino with 692 for third, IVECO with 541 sales for fourth and FIAT on 440 rounding out the top five.
In terms of sales, year-to-date, the balance of the brands are: Renault (338), Mercedes-Benz (154), Hyundai (102), LDV (86), Volkswagen (37), Ford (36), and Foton Mobility on 31.
DEALS Showcase
Water
ON WHEELS WACME’S
WACME’s Water Truck Water Management System boosts efficiency, safety, and environmental sustainability
Need a truck to control dust, prevent fires or manage water efficiently on-site?
WACME’s Water Truck Water Management System (WTWMS) is designed for just that, making your operations smoother, smarter and even more sustainable.
Where all the action happens
The controls are placed for easyaccess for the driver
“This system is developed to make water truck operations more operator-friendly and safer,” WACME director Peter Williams says.
At first glance, it’s the touchscreen that captures your attention, well integrated in the cab, giving operators full control.
“The touch screen includes a manual rotary dial to control the water pump speed from 0 to 100 per cent and comes with a visual display. It also features CANbus keypads for all spraying functionality requirements.”
Gone are the days of overwatering and inconsistent flow, the WTWMS is built for precision, with its system software running several safety protocols like low water level warnings and high oil temperature alerts. It even shuts the hydraulic pump and PTO down if it’s not used within a prescribed time or if none of the functions are active.
“It’s smart enough to know when something’s not right and it reacts before it becomes a problem,” Peter says.
And it’s not just the safety side that’s impressive, it’s the productivity. If you’re wondering how it all works, here’s a breakdown:
• The WTWMS features a Load Sense
Pressure Compensated Variable
Images: Peter Williams
Displacement Pump, which provides higher efficiency and reliability, delivering a constant flow despite changing engine speeds.
• For a precise adjustment of the water flow rate, there’s the Pressure Compensated Load Sense Proportional Valve, enabling operators to optimise water usage and prevent overwatering.
• Lastly, the encoder with the Visual Display and IP67-rated CANbus Keypads feed into the electronic controller, which is programmed to offer optimum performance, system reliability, and enhanced safety.
The result? Comfort and confidence from behind the wheel.
Through its clear and intuitive display system, information regarding machine status and operating parameters is easy-toread.
Its ergonomic controls enhance operator comfort and safety, and its finely tuned monitoring ability minimises heat buildup in the hydraulic system.
There’s an environmental upside too.
“The WTWMS is environmentally friendly, it lowers emissions and reduces energy consumption,” Peter says.
“It also has enhanced longevity, reducing wear and tear by preventing unnecessary system operations.”
It’s a system that looks after the operator, the truck, and the planet. That’s the trifecta.
As more Aussie fleets begin to retrofit or spec out new builds with the WTWMS, WACME stands ready to customise each installation to best suit the application.
“WACME staff will be happy to have an in-depth discussion about the Water Truck Water Management System, or tailor a solution to your exact application requirements.”
Whether it’s mining, construction or dust suppression, this system not only adapts, but delivers.
To find out more phone 03 9770 8348 or go to www.wet1.com.au
Controls are comprehensive but simple to use
The water management system fits perfectly on this Hino FM model truck
Held at the National Road Transport Museum’s hometown of Alice Springs, the four-day Festival of Transport 2025 will host various events including the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame Induction, Transport Women Dream Maker Award, Truck Drag Racing and a street parade.
The Clarendon Classic Machinery, Truck and Hobby Show incorporates the Kenworth Klassic Truck Show and the Model & Hobby Show. Brisbane Heritage Truck Show 2025.
Image: Prime Creative Media
SEPTEMBER
Rusty Iron Rally
September 6-7, 2025
Macksville Showgrounds, NSW
The Mid North Coast Machinery Club is hosting the Rusty Iron Rally at the Macksville Showgrounds on Father's Day weekend. So bring your dads, grandpa's and families, for a day of trucking to remember.
NatRoad Connect 25
September 11-12, 2025. Shepparton, VIC
NatRoad’s annual conference gives you the opportunity to connect with industry representatives, operators, NatRoad members and partners to receive practical operational information and advice. Save the date to your calendar and keep an eye on their website for updates closer to the time. For more information see natroad.com.au
September 13 – Royal International Convention Centre, Brisbane, QLD Heralded as the ultimate night of celebration for Queensland’s road freight industry, the gala promises to bring together leaders from government and industry, fleet owners, suppliers, and professionals from across the sector to recognise and reward the outstanding contributions shaping the future of freight. Hosted by QTA President Michael Mahon and the QTA Board of Directors, the event will feature a dynamic evening of networking, gourmet dining, live entertainment, and the prestigious industry awards ceremony.
The American Iron Echuca Truck Display
September 13-14, 2025 – Echuca, VIC
All makes and models are most welcome! There will be modified tractor/mini tractor pull demonstrations, on-site camping, on-site catering, club merchandise and trade stalls, and live music by Van-yt, open 9am to 4pm both days.
Clarendon Classic
September 20 & 21
Hawkesbury Showgrounds, NSW
The annual event will be held Saturday 20th (9am-4pm) and Sunday 21st September (8am3pm) 2025.
It includes a great display of restored tractors, and stationary engines, vintage cars, trucks, bikes, antique tools.
Ticket prices to be confirmed and dogs are permitted if on leads. There will be a wide range of exhibits for all the family to enjoy including models, collectables, art & craft, historical displays, classic vehicles, implement demonstrations, kids amusement rides (free with entry) and a Tractor & Vehicle Trek on Sunday Morning. A highlight is the Double Decker Bus Rides operating over the two days, linking the Richmond Station and the Machinery Show.
OCTOBER
Wauchope Yesteryear Truck Show
October 4-5, 2025
Wauchope Showground, NSW
Over the long weekend come down to Wauchope where the show will feature historic and late model working trucks, tractors, machinery, stationary engines, working chainsaw display, vintage cars and motorcycles.
Mental Health Fundraiser
October 11 – Nobby, Queensland
Following a successful event in 2024, another fundraising event will be held at Rudd’s Pub in Nobby, to raise mental health awareness in the transport, rural and civil industries. All net proceeds will be donated to the RFDS.
Camp Quality Convoy Perth
October 12, 2025
Perth Hockey Stadium, Bentley Camp Quality’s Convoy Perth is a fun way for anyone who drives a truck to show their support for kids facing cancer and their families. Supporters will cheer on our Convoy, as we travel a 53km route around Perth City and Osborne Park, starting and finishing at Perth Hockey Stadium.
The event venue will host a free Family Festival packed with entertainment and experiences catering for kids and adults alike. There will be food vans, kids’ rides, face painting, roving entertainment, live music, fundraising awards ceremonies, and the chance to cheer on the returning Convoy. Plus, you can check out all the trucks and vehicles at the Show ’n’ Shine after the Convoy returns.
For more information: convoy@campquality. org.au
Technology and Maintenance Conference
October 14-15
Victoria Pavilion, Melbourne Showgrounds, VIC
The TMC Conference brings together technical professionals, fleet and workshop managers, technical regulators, mechanics and service technicians. For 2025, the event moves to a new venue – delivering bigger exhibition spaces and a larger workshop area.
The venue will also provide greater space for workshops on trucks and trailers, and expanded networking areas.
This blinged up Mercede-Benz was a hit at Tooradin.
Image: Warren Aitken
DEALS Events
The 2025 program will focus on key industry priorities, including safety, productivity, environmental sustainability, cost efficiency, and workforce career development.
Wandering AG Show
October 18 – Wandering, WA
The Wandering Camp Out Weekend showcases everything rural living has to offer as we welcome one and all to join us for a big weekend with something for everyone.
The event is hosted on the historical Grassdale Farm where you are able to camp under the stars overlooking the town and join in the Evenings In The Paddock on both Friday & Saturday nights! A shuttle bus will be operating all weekend.
2025 Vintage Machinery Rally & Truck Show
October 18-19, 2025, Urana, NSW
Come and join us in the NSW Riverina for the 2025 Urana Vintage Machinery Rally & Truck Show. Saturday we have a vintage tractor trek departing Victoria Park at 9am, some vintage engines and displays and a twilight tractor pull.
Sunday is our vintage tractor pull, engines and displays, truck show, car show ‘n’ shine
together with the hospital fete. Kids' activities. free camping & showers are available at Victoria Park. Full catering for Saturday and Sunday. Judging of all exhibits is on Sunday and Sunday and entry is $10. Exhibitors and children under 16 have free entry.
Sydney Convoy for Kids
October 26
Sydney Dragway to Hawkesbury Showground, NSW
Convoy For Kids Sydney Inc. was started in 1992 by a small group of dedicated people from the transport and associated industries who had a desire to help sick children.
Today, 31 years later, it is still run by a volunteer committee who spend time to put together one special day, not only as a fundraiser but a family day for all.
Drivers and owner drivers travel from all parts of NSW with their families to participate in this great event each year. It is a spectacular sight to see 500 or more trucks, in a convoy supporting the event.
Funds are raised on the day by truck entries, sales of food and merchandise, major raffle, donations and a giant auction. Taking part means you are helping raise funds for the NETS Ambulance Service and Kidzfix.
AUSTRALIAN MADE
STEEL WET 1 WATER TANK
NOVEMBER
Brisbane Convoy for Kids
November 1. Brisbane, QLD
The Brisbane Convoy for Kids is back on November 1, travelling from Larapinta to the Redcliffe Showgrounds. Once it arrives, a family fun day will take place, with a wide range of activities on offer including live entertainment, auctions, food stalls, free kids’ rides, face painting, animal petting, magic shows, and a night lights display. Convoy participants also compete in a range of categories, with awards handed out on the day.
For info see brisbaneconvoyforkids.com.au
Ulverstone Truck Show
November 1, 2025 - Ulverstone Showgrounds, Tasmania
To all the truckers, ute and car enthusiasts, break out your wash and best polish and bring them to the Ulervstone truck, Ute and car show for 2025, at the Ulverstone show grounds 1st of November.
Mullumbimby Truck Show
November 8, 2025 - Mullumbimby, NSW.
Held in conjunction with the annual Mullumbimby Agricultural Show on the second Saturday of November each year, you won’t want to miss the Mullumbimby Truck Show. This event will feature a truck parade through the town, a sideshow alley, kids’ rides, food vans, full bar facilities and live music. Other features include horse and cattle events including trotting.
For further truck show info see www.mullumbimbyshow.org.au
HCVCA Annual Display Day
November 9, 2025
Yarra Glen Racecourse, VIC
Come and join us with your historic commercial vehicle and display your pride and joy for the day! FREE entry for vehicle and driver and $10 per person for passengers and the public, and there will be FREE entry for children under 14 years.
You’re welcome to join us Saturday afternoon to set up. Camping is available ($20 per person). Showers, toilets and early morning breakfast will be available.
You’re also welcome to join us for dinner Saturday evening in the Yarraview Dining Room (price TBA). Expect raffle prizes, guest speaker, tea and coffee, a great meal and good company! Drinks available at bar prices. Meal will be
heavily subsidised for HCVCA members. Please book early as there is a minimum number required for the dinner to go ahead! Alternatively, we'll have a casual Pizza and BBQ outside.
Sunday entry from 7am for display vehicles, public entry from 9am. All vehicles must remain displayed until 2.30pm. Message us for further information!
100 Years of Caterpillar in Tasmania
November 15-16, 2025
Exeter Showgrounds, TAS
Celebrating 100 years of Caterpillar machines with a family friendly event showcasing the Beckett earthmoving and truck collection, alongside the greatest ever gathering of Tasmanian Caterpillar earthmovers in one place, representing earthmoving, mining, underground, forestry and Antarctic exploration.
Dane Ballinger Memorial Truck Show
November 15
Alexandra Truck Show 2025. Image: Prime Creative Media
Bathurst Showgrounds NSW
The Dane Ballinger Memorial Truck Show is back, with plenty to see and do for the whole family. More info to come.
Illawarra Convoy
November 16. Illawarra, NSW
Touted as the largest truck and motorbike convoy in the Southern Hemisphere, the Illawarra Convoy raises funds for individuals and families affected by potentially life-threatening medical conditions, together with charities that work with these people, and local hospitals. For more information on the event see illawarraconvoy.com.au
Castlemaine Rotary Truck Show
November 29-30, 2025. Castlemaine, VIC.
Held at Campbells Creek Recreation Reserve and organised by the Castlemaine Rotary Club, this year’s truck show is gearing up to be bigger and better than ever. Attendees can expect plenty of well-presented trucks on display, as well as food, a licenced bar, kids’ rides, free health checks and live music.
For more information, visit rotarycastlemaine.org.au
If you have an event you would like listed in our trucking events calendar, please email tiane.gavillucci@primecreative. com.au with all of the relevant details.
Rounds MAKING THE
Deals on Wheels loves to find out about the people behind the trucks and this month we met Brenton Edwards and Shayne Coyne
Adventures with Knights Truckie Brenton Edwards stands heavy on the fact that “every day’s an adventure” with Knights Heavy Towing.
Knights don’t just cart things from A to B. Brenton and the team are called when things go sideways – literally.
“We tow B-doubles, semis, any truck really when they’ve had an accident or are broken down,” he says.
“Whatever it is, we come and tow it.”
The job can mean crawling into a mangled scene at midnight, lifting wreckage from a ditch or hauling a big rig whose engine has given up on a truckie halfway down the highway.
“The days are all different,” he says. “Some days I have literally no idea what I’m getting myself in to.”
In the southern suburbs of Brisbane, Knights has been operating for over 45 years, keeping Aussie trucks moving.
But for one night on June 28, it was time for Brenton to step away from work and roll up for a night of enjoyment at the Joe’s Diner Truck Meet – a haven for horsepower lovers.
“There were heaps of people there, and the food is always fantastic,” he says.
His Kenworth 409 commanded attention
along with his coworker Mark’s truck, a matching colours Kenworth 650.
“They’re both Underlifts, but the 409 is an ex-prime mover and the 650 was used as a cattle truck, pulling cattle trailer and stock crates up until Knights bought it,” Brenton says.
“They both got modified and stretched, then tow bodies were put on the back of them.”
Dressed in all black, Knights Towing catches eyes with its striped pop of colour marked on the sides, a design any truck lover can appreciate.
But before the heavy towing, black Kenny’s and truck meets, Brenton’s transport journey started at 17 in the Australian army, working eight years in military logistics, providing him with a solid industry foundation.
But it was a mate who nudged him into driving a heavy tow truck.
“He asked me if I was interested, and I said ‘yep rightio, let’s do it.’”
Now, five years later, he still can’t believe the path he’s taken. The unpredictability is all a part of the fun.
Because as Brenton says, “every day’s an adventure” with Knight’s Heavy Towing.
Not only are Knights Heavy Towing trucks workhorses, they’re also stunners.
Image: Brenton Edwards
DEALS Events
Cleaning up Mullewa
You wouldn’t just simply stroll past Shayne Coyne’s trucks and not have a look.
What a stunning rig!
Not with their exquisite detailing, colours and design.
SR Coyne Contracting cleaned up at the Mullewa Truck Muster, taking home three gold trophies, including the Truck of the Show, Best Paint Job and Best Kenworth.
And rightfully so.
Shayne built his business from the ground
up, originally beginning his career in transport as a truck detailer. He then became fully qualified as a mechanic before starting up his business.
“I started with one truck, now I’ve got six,” he says. “And I’m the only driver.”
The 2007 Kenworth 904 with the funky little back is called ‘The Major’ and the lime green C509 is named ‘Oogie Boogie’.
The Major was a total ground rebuild, but it was never meant to go that far.
Oogie Boogie dragging The Major along
“We sent it in for a set of guards and a rear hit, but we found that the chassis rails were rocking, so we put all new rails in it, stripped it down and we went from there,” he says.
But the back of The Major is what intrigued Deals on Wheels the most.
“You call the back of it a traction block, which mounted on the prime mover. SR Coyne Contracting specialises in heavy haulage, so I do a lot of work on mine sites.”
ANZAC paintings decorate the dazzling
green Kenny and boy does it look good.
“Nearly all six of my trucks have a tribute to the ANZAC’s,” he says.
“The painting on The Major’s back is the Battle of Long Tan, which happened during the Vietnam War.”
These trucks carry sentiment, honour, and heavy haulage.
It’s a beautiful show truck and a dedicated workhorse, a perfect, yet rare, mix of both.
The winners of Mullewa
No wonder Shayne cleaned up the awards
DEALS Events
A convoy
THAT MATTERS
Records across the events’ history were smashed as Craig Arthur Transport raised $54,000 as the lead truck at the Camp Quality Convoy in Adelaide
Bringing light into somebody’s life while they’re experiencing darkness is one of the kindest things humans can do for one another. Especially when that somebody is a young child facing cancer.
A whopping 156 trucks joined the convoy for such an important cause
Seeing kids smiling is all that mattered
Every kid deserves to live a full, healthy and normal life, whether it’s playing with their friends out in the garden or learning their times tables in school.
Those forced to face this gut-wrenching disease are stronger than most, and Camp Quality recognises this.
This event started last year in Adelaide, following on from the decade-long success of similar Camp Quality convoys in Geelong and Perth. Judging by the turnout, it’s here to stay.
This year, 156 trucks registered raising over $225,000, a whopping $50,000 over the fundraising target for kids battling cancer.
The event drew more than a thousand spectators to the Family Festival, with hundreds more soaking in the action along the convoy route, cheering away for their favourite trucks.
Amongst the convoy, a few rigs turned
heads for reasons to do with more than just their size.
including prime movers, tow trucks, cranes and fire trucks,” says Camp Quality media and communications manager Marie Kent.
some that stood out from the rest. Collins Adelaide Fleet was awarded with the Best Presented Fleet award.
while the Camp Quality Kids Choice Award – and maybe the most coveted of them all –went to the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service Fire Truck.
stole crowd hearts, as well as the shows.
the convoy but also led the fundraising $54,000 earning Craig Arthur Transport the Highest Fundraising Team award too.
Images: Down the White Lines Truck Photography
But this day wasn’t just a parade, it was a Show and Shine and a free Family Festival which featured food trucks, roving entertainment, carnival rides, trampolines, face painting, RC Model Truck displays and merchandise sales.
There were award presentations and a live auction to participate in.
“Camp Quality families also had the opportunity to be a part of the Convoy, travelling on a bus alongside all of the trucks,” Marie says. “There was also plenty of music and entertainment on the bus for our families to enjoy.”
At the heart of it all was Camp Quality’s mission, to create moments of joy and relief for families grappling with the trauma of cancer.
Camp Quality’s general manager of services and programs Damian Ragusa says the community was blown away at the sight of so many big, shiny and noisy big rigs.
"It was incredibly exciting to see so many members of the Adelaide community come out on a beautiful morning to line the streets, cheer on and wave to all the trucks as they made their way through the route,” he says.
“It was heartening to see the South
were too many good looking trucks to keep up with
year!
There
Craig Arthur Transport smashed records this
DEALS Events
Look at the size of em’! Dial A Tow rolled in to join in on the fun
Australian trucking community come together in such numbers to support kids and families facing cancer.”
Their fundraising efforts are lifechanging for Camp Quality families.
With every dollar raised, Camp Quality is able to reach more families with its much-needed services and programs to help change their cancer story, and bring a little bit of light back into what can be such a dark experience.
The behind the scenes effort was no small feat either. A team of staff and volunteers pulled together from across the organisation helped to make the convoy Adelaide the success that it was.
“As a small team, we rely on colleagues from across the organisation to put their hands up to help out,” he says. “Everyone brings along a great team spirit and works incredibly hard across the weekend to deliver a safe, fun event for everyone involved.
“From speaking to many participants, I know the event is an important one for them too as it gives them an opportunity to get together, connect and celebrate the values of the trucking community."
And that’s exactly what they did.
As always, the trucking community looks after one another, and you can always rely on them to show up when there’s a cause worth fighting for.
There was plenty of fun things for kids to take part in Cahill Transport brought along their fleet of red
DRIVEN BY
Family
From childhood rides to running rigs, Jason Cocks’ trucking journey comes full circle – now with kids aboard
Words: Tiane Gavillucci
Images: Jason Cocks
Tarped up and ready to go
There are many reasons one should start a transport company. A love for trucks, a want to help others, a life on the road.
But it was family that drove Jason Cocks to start his.
“I’ve spent a bit of time in various transport roles,” he says.
“I then started work in the mines on and off in Western Australia. My partner and I had a little boy and working away from home wasn’t going to work no more. So I decided to give my transport company a crack!”
That “crack” has turned into ‘Jason Cocks Transport’, a one truck operation with a bulk tipper setup and a pair of road train flat tops.
Jason’s rig hauls everything from general freight to whatever other jobs come through the pipeline.
“You name it, we’ll put it on the trailer,” he says.
Jason first felt the rumble of the road when he would ride with his dad who was also a truckie.
“Trucking stemmed from going away with him when I was a kid,” he says. “Then stupid me decided to follow in his career path.”
And with three acres of land as a backyard, Jason’s truck and trailers have a place to stay, but not without his kids getting their little hands under the chassis – similar to their own father.
“If I’m at home working on them, my twoyear-old daughter and four-year-old son are outside with me underneath the truck,” he laughs.
“I’ll be trying to keep them as far away from trucks as possible. There’s obviously a lot of challenges in transport at the moment, it’s not easy.
“Hopefully they become brain surgeons or something.”
And while the transport industry certainly has its hardships, Jason continues to keep Australia moving forward with his handy Kenworth.
Many dream of a chromed-up showpiece rig, but Jason’s truck is all muscle, built to work and last.
The truck is a 2002 model, originally one of Wayne Sebire’s fleet.
“It had a good wheelbase and a Caterpillar engine,” he says. “The Cat went bang about 18 months ago, so we spent a fair bit of money putting a Cummins X15 Euro 3 engine in it.”
“Cummins in Wodonga did the whole lot.”
The outside of the truck is as eye catching as what’s under the hood — a striking green and white uniform.
“They were Wayne Sebire’s colours, so then I just painted my trailers to suit the
truck. Green's my favourite colour, so it all worked out.”
Still, make no mistake, this isn’t a truck you’ll find polished up at a show n’ shine on the weekend.
“She’s just a working truck, I already spend too much time around this rig,” he laughs.
The freedom of running his own show is undeniable. Jason says the best part about running a transport company is working your business how you want to, carting whatever specific freight you would like.
But again, this is no easy job.
“It absorbs a lot of my time. It’s definitely a seven-day-a-week job.
“If you’re not driving it, you’re washing it, or fixing it, or greasing it, or doing invoicing,” he says. “It consumes your whole life.”
Transport is what Jason knows, it runs through his veins. And though it’s difficult, being more present with his family is what truly matters most.
Jason teaching his son the ways
Joe's Diner
TRUCK MEET
Trucks lit up Joe’s Diner as the annual truck meet went off with a bang in Eagle Farm, Brisbane
Joe’s Diner “lit up like a Christmas tree” when nighttime fell on the annual truck meet.
When the sun finally slipped behind the trees that night on June 28 in the diner’s lot, one by one the trucks lit up in a blaze of chrome, and LED lights.
Cherie Karagiannis, who co-owns the diner and organises the event along with her husband Steve, says this was the highlight of the day.
It wasn’t just the spectacle that caught people’s attention and left them wanting more, it was the feeling of a community all coming together up in Eagle Farm, Brisbane.
“Our truck meets are a place for all truckies to gather in one spot, as we have quite a large space here,” Steve says.
It was hard to look away from these
“Watching all the trucks roll in and light up their trucks as the sun goes down and the lights slowly turn off is a lovely display,” she says.
“We hold a large car and bike meet as well, so we've got a pretty large following, as a lot of the people that attend those events are rig lovers as well.
“Our truck meet is a place to park up your vehicle, put it on display, have a feed and hang out with each other.”
And what more could you possibly want?
The meet sparked up seven years ago, starting with only cars and bikes, until a year and a half ago, when Steve was approached to hold an event for big rigs.
“So, we did it,” Steve says. “We got about 60 trucks on our first year, and we’ve been meaning to hold more since, but we’re very time poor as a young family.”
“We had a free weekend coming up and we thought it was the perfect opportunity do it and it ended up being another successful night.”
When it comes to just how many trucks turned out, Steve believes it was around 70, but says it could have been 100, depending on who you ask as there is no formal registration
Joe’s Diner lit up as sparkling rigs rolled on in
masterpieces
Images: Ray Lawrence Photography
needed to turn for the get together.
One thing is for certain though, the crowd was huge and the lot buzzed with spectators, families and kids.
“There was a line out of the shop door for two hours straight,” he says.
This meet was a way for Steve and Cherie to give back to the Joe’s Diner customers, a lot of whom are truckies.
“We work a lot, and there are a lot of people who support us and appreciate what we do, we wanted to show that same kind of love back,” Steve says.
“I think they appreciate that people like us are willing to give up our weekend to give them a place to come to and enjoy their passion, because at the end of the
day, that's what this is all about.
“Every vehicle that came in was spotless. Every machine, high or low-end, bike or car, it didn’t matter, they were all perfect as their vehicle is their pride and joy and they want to show it off.”
And now, they’re already planning the next truck meet on November 24.
Following the chitter chatter from the event, Steve reckons the next meet is going to be “massive”, with bigger crowds, more trucks, but celebrating the same shared passion.
It’s an event you won’t forget anytime soon, so find a space to park, polish your truck until it shines and light it all up again later this year.
With harvest season around the corner, Freightmore Transport has grain tippers made specifically for Aussie roads
Images: Freightmore Transport
If you’re looking for a grain tipper, don’t look past Freightmore Transport – and get an early bird discount by ordering now!
Farmers and transport operators, it’s time to gear up as the harvest season dawns upon you.
With Australia’s harvest season about to kick into high gear, it’s a race against the clock to get the grain moving, and at the heart of that effort is Freightmore Transport with ready-to-roll grain tippers designed for harsh, Aussie conditions and tight timelines.
“With the harvest season upon us, Freightmore Transport is ready to keep you moving with top-quality grain tippers, in stock and ready to go,” says Freightmore Transport director Jason Juwayed.
“We’ve stocked up on aluminium B-double combinations as well as heavy-duty steel grain tippers, built tough for Australian conditions.
“Our sliding A-lead trailers, dog, and super dog combinations are tried, tested, and trusted, with hundreds already in operation across Australia.”
Freightmore Transport is aware of how critical this time of year is, when harvest hits, there’s no room for delays or breakdowns.
With locations in Lonsdale, South Australia, Bullsbrook in Western Australia and Newcastle in New South Wales, Freightmore
Transport has plenty of exposure to the needs of transport operators across the country.
“Whether you're after a single trailer or an entire fleet, we are positioned to deliver fast from our facilities across the country,” he says.
But what sets Freightmore apart this season is not just availability, but urgency.
With hundreds of trailers ready to go from their national facilities, the company is leaning into their promise of fast delivery, and they have sweetened the deal with an Early Bird Special that will catch anyone’s attention.
“Right now, take advantage of our limitedtime savings and call us to ask about the $20,000 early bird discount that could save you thousands,” Jason says.
A serious discount like this allows Freightmore Transport to back the people who move the country forward, like our growers and carriers.
If there’s a time to secure gear it’s now, with phone lines at Freightmore ringing hot and word spreading fast.
To lock in your deal, call Freightmore Transport on 1300 159 316.
Ready to go Oz Build premium quality discounted to clear:
• AIRBAG
• 2-Way Tail gate
• Road train ready
• 2m side walls
• 32ft long
• 50m3
• Alloy Wheels
• Electric Tarps
• Grain Chute
Muster
IN MULLEWA
The second ever Mullewa Truck Muster gains popularity and brings thousands into the small, regional town
As a truck lover, would you drive 12 hours for a truck show?
While for many a few hours drive is enough, for this show 1,000km drives were common as driver's back in what started as a “little idea”. And that “little idea” turned out to be an unforgettable event, the Mullewa Truck Muster.
Now in its second year, the muster was born from a shared hunch among six committee members who knew the Mid-west of Western Australia was missing something.
“There is no truck show close by to the area,” event organiser Tahni Doble says.
“The nearest would be the Perth Mack Muster and that’s four hours away for us, so getting trucks down there is a big mission.”
“So, we thought, why not do our own?”
And they did. With the backing from the established Mullewa Muster and Rodeo, the team hitched their truck show dreams to a growing local tradition.
In its first year, the event drew solid crowds. But this year, it blew the doors off.
About 3,500 people were lured through the Mullewa gates by 36 shining rigs and humming diesel, an increase compared to last year’s numbers.
The rigs ranged from vintage army trucks, that kids clambered into with glee, to Shayne Coyne’s jaw dropping Kenworth show truck; the display had it all.
“All of Shayne’s trucks are phenomenal. This Kenworth in particular, had only done 600 kilometres! It truly is just for shows,” Tahni says.
Another favourite of Tahni’s were the bold pink rigs from the Pilbara Heavy Haulage Girls Group, because as she says, you just can’t go wrong with pink.
The day pulsed with energy from start to finish. Pony rides, bouncy castles and a petting zoo kept the little ones smiling and food vendors dished out hearty helpings.
Look at that colourful lineup
This vintage rig was a standout
Images: West Australian Truck Photography
Check out this classy Kenny
Awards were handed out to the best of the bunch
You don’t see a rig like this every day
3,500 people came down to join in on the trucking fun
The Pilbara Heavy Haulage Girls Group rocked up with these pink beauties
It’s hard not to stare at this classy Mack
There were Kenworths aplenty
Plenty of trucks rolled in, all shapes and colours
And when night fell, Reuben Styles from Peking Duk took the stage, closing the day with a dazzling performance.
“He was insane,” Tahni says. “It was such a nice finish to the day.”
“But just seeing people get behind our little idea is crazy.
“There's only the six of us running this muster, but seeing the amount of people who support our idea and come and make the day great is what truly counts.”
For a small town, Tahni was impressed with the big turnout and believes it’s important to promote Mullewa to outsiders.
Results
Truck of the show
Sponsored By: TAJ Mechanical
Winner: Shayne Coyne - THE ODD 1
People’s Choice
Sponsored By: Maisey Fuels
Winner: CJ Swift Transport - 1SL0807
Best fleet
Sponsored By: Geraldton Towing Services
Winner: Patience Bulk Haulage
Best Classic 30+ years
Sponsored By: Macao Compliance
Winner: Michael Thurkle - 57AUSTIN
Best paint job
Sponsored By: Wayne’s Spraypainting
Winner: Shayne Coyne - THE ODD 1
Best Mack
Sponsored By: Truck Centre WA
Winner: Vernice Earthmoving - T7989
“Within our committee, there are many who have family members that live in the Mullewa region,” she says.
“We wanted to do something that brings more people to the area, because it doesn’t get a lot of attention and is usually forgotten about it.
“This event brings people into town; its whole purpose is for the small community.”
And that’s mission accomplished.
The committee succeeded in making big noise for a small place, and with the engines now cool, crowds should gear up again for mid next year, because the Mullewa Truck Muster is only going to get bigger.
36 dazzling rigs came to show up, and show out
Best Kenworth
Sponsored By: Maisey Fuels
Winner: Shayne Coyne - THE ODD 1 & YOUR CALL
Best Western Star
Sponsored By: Penske Trucks ANZ
Winner: CJ Swift Transport - 1SL0807
Best European
Sponsored By: Truck Centre WA
Winner: Pilbara Heavy Haulage Girls - NOW MINE
Best American
Sponsored By: Refuel Australia
Winner: Agxpress - FIRBANK
Best Japanese
Sponsored By: TAJ Mechanical
Winner: Geraldton Towing Services - NR10948
Best Rigid
Sponsored By: Geraldton Towing Services
Winner: Geraldton Towing Services - CGG788B
Alexandra
WINNERS
The Alexandra Truck Show didn’t know what hit it when Andrew Dorling rolled in with an award winning Kenworth and vintage Commer
Words: Tiane Gavillucci
Images: Andrew Dorling
The Best Kenworth and Best Vintage Truck
It was no mistake when the name ‘Andrew Dorling’ got called twice at the Alexandra Truck Show awards.
It was cold, it was wet, and the competition was stiff, but hearing that win meant suddenly the rain didn’t matter anymore.
Winning Best Kenworth and Best Vintage Truck on the same day is no small feat.
As an owner driver for 25 years now, trucks have been a lifelong passion of Andrew, who now enjoys the pleasures of restoring.
The Commer was made from three trucks
“This win was pretty unexpected for me,” he says. “I don’t go to shows to win, I go because I’m proud of what I’ve created and like to show off my work.
“So, as you can imagine, I was pretty ecstatic taking home those two victories.”
Let’s start with the beast that stole modern truck lovers’ hearts – a gleaming 2023 Kenworth T909.
Andrew spec’d the rig up brand new and bought it through Gippsland Truck Centre.
“It’s my everyday workhorse at my business
A&K Dorling Pty Ltd,” he says.
“I have B double tippers and cart anything
bulk throughout Victoria and New South Wales.”
Despite its practical use, this truck has show stealer written all over it, taking home Rig of the Show at the Tooradin Truck Show in February this year also.
With that bold stance and sleek finish, it’s not hard to see why.
But while the T909 steals glances, Andrew’s 1963 Commer is not only a vintage masterpiece, but has a story that tugs at the heartstrings.
Parked beside the Kenworth, the Commer has been lovingly restored by Andrew over seven long years, but it wasn’t just an ordinary resto, it was a promise kept.
The vintage rig is a replica of the truck his father Mick drove decades ago and when Mick became seriously ill, Andrew took on the project.
“Dad has always wanted to restore a truck to honour his past memories and relive his past,” he says.
“He made a promise to mum that he would get it going before it was too late for him.
“But he got crook, so I took the project on and got it done for him, restoring the truck from the ground up.”
These days, Commer parts are almost impossible to come by, so the restoration process wasn’t easy.
“It’s three trucks made into one,” Andrew says. “It’s very hard to find parts for it, so I used bits and pieces off different trucks to replicate what dad had.”
“It was a full restoration, changing nearly every bolt in the chassis, to new springs and repairing the cab.
“The motor was rebuilt, and I re-raced the gearbox and diffs. The trailer was pretty bad, so I put new beams and suspensions and pretty much rebuilt that too. The cattle crate I made from scratch.”
The Commer is strictly used for shows and is a great way to get Mick out of the house.
“We’ve been to Crawlin’ the Hume, Haulin’ the Hume and a lot of truck shows with this rig just to get dad out,” he says.
“Dad’s pretty crook with cancer, so we’re trying to do as much as we can with him while we still can.”
And although Mick is a man of few words, Andrew laughs and says he’s fairly certain his dad likes the truck, as he talks to everyone else about it.
From the Hume to conquering Alexandra, these trucks are diamonds and clearly, easily win the hearts of many.
And with a few more restoration projects lined up, don’t be surprised if you see more of Andrew’s rigs stealing the show at other truck show events.
A true stunner! It doesn’t get much better than this...
Records fell as the 2025 North Coast Petroleum Casino Truck Show dominated the Northern Rivers of New South Wales on August 1 and 2
Words & Images | Geoff Crockett
Rolling into Casino on Friday afternoon with rain pending and light fading after two flights and an hour-long drive through the countryside, it was hard to know exactly what to expect.
While it was a given the show would be well run, the organisers and Richmond Valley Council have this down to a tee, this Friday night would be different to 2024, with the inaugural addition of the Friday Night Lights showcase.
Casino Truck Show organiser Darren Goodwin had said in the lead up to the show registrations for the 550 available spots in Saturday’s line-up had sold out as fast a Taylor
Swift concert, so there was no doubt there would be truckies in town, or arriving.
While in the past a dozen or so trucks had come into the middle of town and parked up outside the pub where the sponsor’s gathered for a pre-show get together, this year the organisers had stepped it up to another level.
Live music had been booked, the cafes were staying open later, and the invite was out there for those arriving on Friday night to bring their trucks into town, turn on their lights and showcase the electrifying efforts they’d put into illuminating the big beasts.
The word had obviously got out with
Friday Night Lights was a welcome edition to this year's event
Scania's made an appearance in the tow truck category
plenty of locals and visitors braving the slightly chilly air and lining the main street into town as the sun went down to admire a mini truck parade that soon had the streets lit up like Christmas.
Rows of reverse-parked trucks provided all manner of lights, including some cool windscreen LEDs that were able to be programmed with winking eyes or short messages.
While the rain threatened and eventually fell around 9pm, the sun had started disappearing around 5.30pm and the crowd had a solid couple of hours before it thinned out as people headed home to come back and do it all again on Saturday.
And do it they did.
Richmond Valley Council’s Community Connection Manager, and truck show comms leader, Sharon Davidson said the crowds had been estimated at 40,000 this year – a record result for the regional event.
Sharon also said the charity auction raised $26,000 which would be divided up between prostate cancer awareness charity Get Yourself Checked, and local charities who would have the opportunity to apply for cash to support their projects.
For those who haven’t been to Casino Truck Show, it’s handy to know that it’s run in the centre of town, on bitumen, with trucks parking north, south, east and west of the central roundabout and the city centre is blocked off to pedestrians-only for most of the day.
Krystina Prior and Mark Tobin of Followmont Transport were generating support for the Get Yourself Checked charity
The Miller Mack turned up as the sun started to set for Friday night's fun
DEALS Events
for
Team Mechlec: Tyler Bayley, Toby Barry, Ryan Puklowski
It was shoulder to shoulder
a while on Friday night
Richmond Valley Mayor Robert Mustow and communications leader Sharon Davidson
Ambrose Haulage driver Tim Wells and Lyndsey Pankurst were out enjoying the festivities
CarChem's Darren Nelson (left) and James Pooley (right).
There was plenty of action at the AJ's Total Truck Gear stand
The truck art on show was simply stunning
Rocklea Truck Electrical (RTE) had Georgie Lee, Lachlan MacDonald, Jake MacDonald and Josh MacDonald representing them on the stand during this year's show
The Lelox team: Sharon Walker, Mark Pieri and Craig Alcorn
Casino itself is in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, about an hour’s drive from the coastal town of Ballina, famous for its Big Prawn.
It's not every day you see a truck covered in crochet.
This was an art installation piece that fitted with Casino Gallery's trucking themed exhibition
Normally, Casino, has a population of around 12,500 people.
The Saturday element of the show starts with a truck parade where thousands of people line the route into town, kicking off their morning by finding their own patch of roadside, some with barbecues and camp chairs, from which to watch an hour-long parade roll past.
This year’s parade was capped at 200 trucks – a decision taken by the organisers to allow enough time for the trucks to be parked up for judging and for people to enjoy the balance of the day.
The parade starts at 10am, and the city is returned to normal by around 6pm that night. Last year more than 700 trucks turned up for the show and while not everyone participated in the parade, it was certainly more than the 200 trucks this year and that parade had rolled on for nearly two hours.
Another thing to note is that Casino Truck Show is known as one of the “richest” in terms of the number of prizes and vouchers
given out to trucks judged as winners on Saturday afternoon.
The award’s ceremony lasted an hourand-a-half, with another record set at the finale when the Tiny Lollback Truck of the Show award went to two Kenworth T900’s driven by Chris and Andrew Muscat of Muscat Haulage.
Both trucks are working trucks with about 1.2 million kilometres on the clock, and their polished presentation was so close, the judges couldn’t split them.
For the Muscat brothers, whose business has a fleet of 13 trucks hauling out of Yass in New South Wales, the win was a welcome surprise and a great opportunity to shine the spotlight on their team.
Andrew said the family business had started with his Mum and Dad, off the back of his Dad driving with his own brothers back in the 1970s.
He and Chris are second generation from there, and now their children were becoming part of the team too.
He said the business had grown during the Covid years as demand for deliveries skyrocketed, and, now, with about 20 staff on board, it was staying steady as the market tightened.
Kenworths were the dominant brand in the truck parade including this example from Shanahan Transport
Reverse parked prime movers certainly dominated the streetscape in the middle of Casino's CBD
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Winners
Brown & Hurley Presents 2025 Trophies Categories:
Best Service Truck: Jake Taprell – Fuso (Techknow Tyres)
Best Specialised: Connor Krahnen – Kenworth C500 (BTHR Moving)
Best Rigid: Ethan Muscat – Kenworth T359 (Muscat Haulage)
Best Tilt-Tray: Rick Hopkins – Kenworth K200 (Anywhere Truck & Machinery Heavy Towing)
Best Heavy Recovery: Michael Donchos – Kenworth T909 (Lalor Towing Service)
Best Car Carrier: Andrew Gunn – Western Star 4800 (Statewide Car Carriers)
Best Tanker: Brenten Northcott – Kenworth T409 SAR (BKN Civil Services)
Best Tipper – Civil: Dick Hartas – T909 (Earthmoving Creations)
Best Tipper – Bulk: Jason Smith – T950 (Graintrans)
Best Log Truck: Brent Dentler – Western Star 4900A (N & N
Smith Sawmiller and Logging Contractors)
Best Livestock: Jai Perkins – Kenworth W900 SAR (Martins Stock Haulage)
Best Refrigerated: Jake Bailey – T909 (TRSS Refrigerated)
Best Heavy Haulage: Brandon Doherty – Toyota LandCruiser (Amped Up Truck Electrical & Air)
Best General Freight – Soft Hands: Josh Manhood – Kenworth T909 (G & D Richards Transport)
Best General Freight – Hard Hands: Winston Express Haulage
Best Custom Truck: Mark Holt – Kenworth T909 (Pittsworth Fleet Maintenance)
Best Engine Bay: Chris Tibbits – Kenworth K200 Big Cab (Schaeffer’s Transport)
Best Day Cab: Jamie Woods – Kenworth T909 (Bondwoods Transport)
Best Bonneted: Mick Seguss – Kenworth T604 (All Bulk Trans)
Best Cabover: Shane Eyers – Kenworth K200 (Airlie Beach Hotel)
Best Japanese: Danielle Allen – Isuzu (Sheaffe Motors)
Best DAF: Joe Ware – DAF CF450 (Carways Pty Ltd)
Best MAN: Peter Argyropoulos – MAN TGX 26.640 (T&S Roadworks)
Best Volvo: Greg Hawke – Volvo (SRH Milk Haulage)
Best Scania: Trai Hildebrand – Scania R620 (Aplus Towing)
Best Ford: Brad Lawrence – Ford LTL
Best Freightliner: Ritchie Daniel – Freightliner Coronado (O’Niels Haulage)
Best Peterbilt: Andrew Maddox – Peter Built (Maddox Haulage)
Best Western Star: Joshua Broom – Western Star (JKL Freight Lines)
Best Mack – Old Breed: HHA – Mack Super-Liner
Best Mack – New Breed: Stevie Cooper – Mack Super-Liner (CKC Haulage)
Best Kenworth – Pre-2000: Mark McLean – Kenworth Aerodyne (Ace Excavations)
Best Kenworth – Post-2000: Paul Norton – Kenworth T904 (Ballinger Transport)
Most Travelled: Shayne Coyne – Kenworth 904 (SR Coyne Contracting)
Keeping it Real (prize: $500): Kenworth W900 – Causley
Transport – Mark Causley
Doing the Business (prize: $500): Kenworth – O’Neils Haulage
– Cody Wood
Die Hard (prize: $500): Kenworth T909 – Lawrence Transport
– John Lawrence
Wales Heavy Vehicle Repairs
– Judged Elite
(total prize pool $700)
Kenworth T909: Quinn Transport – Darren Quinn
Kenworth T909: Ballinger Transport – Sam Ballinger
Kenworth T908: Rasmussen Bulk Haulage – Cam Vale
Kenworth T904: Lawrence Transport – Jake Lawrence
Kenworth T900: Whitehaul Transport – Dazza Deal
Ampol Petroleum Distributors
– Elite Fleet
Elite Fleet 3rd (prize $600): Bondwoods
Elite Fleet 2nd (prize $800): Bowen contracting
Elite Fleet 1st (prize $1,000): Lawrence Transport
Country Trucker Caps presents: Show Truck Champions
HHA: Mack Super-Liner
Matt Whitechurch: Mack Super-Liner (Karreman Quarries)
Nick Gierisch: Kenworth T909 (Gierisch Trucking)
Michael Sammut: Kenworth T909 (Sammut Earthworks)
Nick Lean: Kenworth T600 (Tefol)
Scott Taylor: Kenworth (Scott Taylor Motorsport)
Richmond Valley Council, North Coast
Petroleum and RTE Custom Trucks presents Tiny Lollback Rig of the Show
Kenworth T900 Legend: Muscat Haulage – Chris Muscat
Kenworth T900 Legend: Muscat Haulage – Andrew Muscat
Dazza Deal with his Kenworth T900 for Whitehaul Transport was Judged Elite
DEALS Events
“Something like this, it actually gives you that boost again and show you that there is a lot of pride in the industry and a lot of good operators,” Chris says.
Valley area, it’s for the whole North Coast, and I'd say the same happened at Kyogle and Grafton and Coffs Harbour and all the way along the coast.”
It's not all about the chrome on the show trucks, with some stunning artwork on show, including these three beauties
The back of the cab, or the sleeper door, the talented truck artists in our industry are adept at bringing stories to life with their art
For Richmond Valley Mayor Robert Mustow, the truck show is a highlight every year.
“I'd like to thank everyone who's turned up this year,” Mustow told the crowd during the awards ceremony.
“The weather's been kind to us, and I'd like to really thank Mick (from North Coast Petroleum) for being our major sponsor and every other sponsor who makes this truck show so successful. I believe it's the best in Australia and the southern hemisphere.
“I can't tell you my appreciation of everyone coming.
“If you're showing (your truck), or you've just come to support it… family… friends – it means a lot to our area.
“I talked to the Lismore Mayor this morning out at an art show I was at, at Bentley, and he owns a restaurant in Lismore, and he said there was trucks pulling up at five o'clock this morning at his cafe in Lismore getting coffee.
“So, it's not only for Casino in the Richmond
For Darren Nelson and James Pooley, who made the trek from South Australia to share their truck cleaning wares with the crowd, the show was an eye-opener.
James, who is the production coordinator for CarChem Products Pty Ltd, makers of the truck cleaner Trucking Gold, said there had been plenty of interest during the day and getting to be part of the show made the trip worthwhile.
Truckie Tim Wells made the trek from Goodiwindi in an Ambrose Haulage 1996 Kenworth T904.
Wells said he counted himself lucky to work for a company that was happy to be part of the show and proud of the gear it ran for its grain and fertiliser haulage in and out of Brisbane and Newcastle.
Front and centre on the main roundabout Krystina Parker and Mark Tobin from Followmont Transport were fielding interest and selling merchandise in support of the Get Yourself Checked charity started by Mark and
Country Trucker Caps’ Brett Hanly. Krystina said the t-shirts and caps were proving popular and the message was certainly getting out there about the relatively new charity and its mission of raising awareness and funds for the fight against prostate cancer.
While there was plenty of trucking equipment and merchandise, including Casino Truck Show shirts, caps and hoodies for sale, it was the trucks the fans had come for, and just about every brand was represented in one shape or another.
While Kenworth’s dominated the trucks on show, followed closely by Macks, there was a solid line up of classic Ford’s along with new releases such as bright white MAN loaded with spotlights and carrying a Lion airbrushed on its back.
Jon Kelly and his HHA crew were out in force with “Kelly’s alley” boasting a range of the group’s heavy haulage trucks that are about to be auctioned by Pickles, alongside some stunning classics from the collection, some of which will eventually be on show at a museum-type showroom that’s currently in the planning stage.
For Casino’s local cafes, pubs and charities, such as the Lions’ Club with their ever-popular sausage sizzle, the steady flow of customers is sure to have topped up the tills in a big way.
The local artists jumped in on the spirit of the event too, and those who wandered down Barker Street to the gallery were treated to an installation project that saw a Kenworth colourfully covered in all manner of embroidered blankets and wheel hub warmers.
With visitors coming to Casino from all over Australia, and New Zealand too, the show has a carnival atmosphere (yep, there’s even a kids’ entertainment area with rides too) that is easy to get carried away in.
With two stages rocking out live music, hundreds of highly polished trucks to oogle and the joy of the truckies and their families enjoying a good time away from the road for a few hours, catching up with friends and telling trucking stories with smiles on their faces, it’s easy to see why Casino just keeps on getting better every year.
The car carriers brought a whole new level of lighting to the Friday night festivities
For more info please visit us at www.sammut.com.au
Drive
4 DEPRESSION
Lonely highways inspired a truck meet that unites drivers and families to raise mental health awareness
Images: Ray Lawrence
Chasing the infinite white line on dusty
Aussie roads can get lonely.
15
Isolated in a cab with just your thoughts and the radio in the back, away from the comfort of family and friends and sometimes for weeks on end can lead to a depressed state of mind.
“No one really thinks about what truckies go through on a day-to-day basis,” Drive 4 Depression event organiser Bec says.
“People just expect to see their groceries in the shopping centre and not talking about the deeper issues at hand.”
And so, the first Drive 4 Depression Truck Meet was held on June 7, creating a safe space for truckies to establish connections, talk big rigs and raise awareness for mental health.
“It feels so good to make people aware of the depression not only truckies face, but their wives and families also,” she says.
“My husband’s been gone a month. It can get so tough especially when you have kids, you’re pretty much parenting alone.
“It’s hard to find people that relate to this situation, so ladies at the event were telling
me how refreshing it is for someone to be acknowledging them.
“It's not just truck drivers, it's their families, it's their kids, it's the grandparents, it's everyone involved.”
Drive 4 Depression’s slogan says, ‘you’re not alone’ and this event is a reflection of just that.
This new truck meet is a chance for connection, for people to reach out, open up to each other and realise that many may be going through your exact situation – that’s what it’s all about.
In June, around 70 people showed up to see the 15 trucks that lined the Brendale Mower Store carpark, including Kenworths from Mark Tobin Transport and Bean Express to name a few.
After taking a look at some monster rigs, truck lovers then enjoyed a warm barbie, pizza, and even some ice cream.
“We even had people driving past on their way home from work, and they were randomly pulling in to see the trucks and have a slice of warm pizza,” Bec says.
But for Bec, the most powerful moment was
rigs lined up at Brendale Mower Store
Photography
This cause is important to the truck industry
It was a beautiful day for it
Drive 4 Depression is an opportunity for truckies to chat and seek help if needed
DEALS Events
at the end of the day
rooted in some impromptu education.
“We taught a lot of people about truck blind spots and where your car should sit beside a heavy vehicle,” she says.
“Talking to these ladies, educating them on trucks and how to drive around them was such a highlight. But so was meeting families that have really struggled with depression. That was very touching.”
As someone who has a daughter who suffered with depression, Bec understands now more than ever the importance of raising your voice and how deadly depression can be.
“I've never struggled with mental health personally, but my daughter has attempted suicide,” Bec says.
“Before that, I never paid attention to mental health. I thought depression was a state of mind and you could just get over it, until I found my daughter unconscious. This is when I knew I wanted to organise this important event.”
Whether it’s having a simple conversation about your truck lights, your engine, or your mental health, Drive 4 Depression is a space where Bec encourages truckies and families
to feel comfortable to get comfy, and have a chat.
“It’s about support at the end of the day,” she says. “When you’re a truckie on the road all day you’ve got no one else to chat to, this is your chance to connect with like-minded people who may relate to you.
“It’s a chance to see that there are people out there that actually care about you and how you feel, and it’s importance to recognise that.”
As the first Drive 4 Depression packed up and the rigs rolled away, Bec says the successful day may mean another truck meet may be closer than you think.
While at the first event Drive 4 Depression was unable to fundraise, it has since received its full charity registration and can nowraise money, have members and sell merchandise. The Black Dog Institute and Beyond Blue will be the charities of choice it supports.
The next event will be on September 4 at the Mower Supastore in Brendale. For the latest ‘Drive 4 Depression’ news, find them on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok under the handle - @drive4depression
Trucks of all kinds made a lasting impression
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Darren White surprises his dad by restoring the 1,000th Kenworth to be built
Words: Tiane Gavillucci
Images: Darren White
in Australia
After a year living in Queensland, Keith White – owner of Gippsland Truck Centre and his wife Caroline returned home, planning to head out for a special family dinner.
Nothing was out of the ordinary – at least on the surface.
Isn’t it a stunner?
Their daughter-in-law picked them up and off they went for dinner. But their son Darren was nowhere to be seen.
Excuses for his absence were made and Keith thought nothing of it, until the car turned into the Gippsland Truck Centre yard, and there Darren was, standing by a shed.
With the click of a roller door, the 1974 Kenworth K125 CR was revealed.
But this wasn’t just any Kenny. No, this was the 1,000th Kenworth to be built in Australia. And there it sat, gleaming, immaculate and completely restored.
Without Keith’s knowledge, somehow over the course of a year, his family, a sneaky crew of staff and tradespeople restored Kenworth number 1,000. And that was enough to trigger the waterworks.
“He was very, very emotional,” Darren says.
“I haven’t seen him like that for a long time.”
Back in 1974, this exact truck rolled off the line at the Bayswater factory in Melbourne.
As it was the 1,000th Kenworth built in Australia, it was a landmark in truck history.
The Big Garage Kenworth dealer in Bairnsdale was the dealership who had the privilege of displaying it; even the employees at Bayswater plant were recognised at the historic event.
Switzers Transport Services of Eden, NSW then bought the rig, and it started work as a refrigerated transport truck carting tuna to South Australia.
At the time, Keith was a local truck salesman in Bairnsdale and was keen to witness the great celebration of this 1,000th Kenworth.
To help celebrate this special event in Aussie trucking history, the Kenworth’s famous livery of yellow and blue became the signature colour scheme for a W model, an S2 and an SAR.
Years passed and Keith had lost track of the Kenworth.
There was a bit of work to be done, and plenty of imperfections to fix, but the outcome was worth the journey
“The
1,000th Kenworth made in Australia”
It doesn’t get much better than this!
The surprise got Keith quite emotional
When out of the blue, he received a call from a South Australian farmer who had been using it as a farm truck for 27 years.
Keith needed that truck to be his. The truck had been lost to time and the grind of the road, but he saw the vision and aimed to return it to its prime form.
But he was denied, the truck was not for sale.
Ten years later, the phone rang again, and he was told that the truck was his if he still wanted it. Without a doubt in his mind, Keith’s answer was yes.
The plan was always to restore it back to its original condition, but a lack of time and not finding the right person to restore the truck, hindered that process.
The truck sat idle and was passed from shed to shed for a while. Until eventually landing in Pakenham where the real restoration began –unbeknown to Keith.
That’s when Darren stepped in.
With Keith off in Queensland, Darren
took matters into his own hands and got the 18-month restoration underway.
The truck kept its original engine, a 8V71T N75, with an RTO 915 gearbox and original diffs. The cab material has handmade strips on the seats, in the sleeper box and around the cab.
The paint job was flawlessly matched to its 1974 debut colours and Keith still held the original number plates KW1000.
“It was a lot of work,” Darren says. “But it was absolutely well worth it.”
“This is something dad had wanted done for years. He would even like for it to eventually end up at the Hall of Fame up in Alice Springs.”
And I’d say that’s a very achievable goal for this special rig.
Today the truck lives quietly at the Gippsland Truck Centre and will be shown off at the odd truck show. It’s set to go in The Legends Calendar next year.
But on a day-to-day basis, it sits in the shed, still shining.
The resto took one year to complete
DEALS Feature
Driving
HOPE
A little blue toy elephant brings a whole world of hope to a cause close to many hearts
One of the greatest attributes of the transport industry is the wealth of compassion and support that flows whenever an occasion arises.
While the goal is to Drive Hope across Australia, the little blue River's Gift Representative isn’t adverse to the luxuries of air travel as well. Hope caught the big Tin Taxi from Melbourne up to Brisbane to begin an epic journey across the paddock with me.
Truckies in particular are generally the first to get in behind a good cause, whether it’s by polishing up their pride and joy for a charity-based truck show or taking time out of their busy day to assist a child in need with a compassionate cruise, or merely a morale boosting drive by.
I believe it is because we have such diversity within our workforce and, contrary to many beliefs, there is still a strong camaraderie amongst the trucking fraternity.
Recently one of the largest organisations within the transport arena, WiTA, or Woman in Trucking Australia if you prefer the unabbreviated version, teamed up with a charity organisation very dear to many hearts, River’s Gift, to launch a charity event aimed at bringing a beacon of Hope to the world of SIDS and raising much needed funds for research into this heart-breaking affliction.
I am going to get into the explanation behind this very cool fundraising concept,
but first I have to address the elephant in the room (pun intended).
You will notice I am dropping a web link quite often throughout this story and the reason is because that is exactly how we all get involved in this venture. What venture you ask? Let me explain with a little history behind the River’s Gift organisation.
River’s Gift originated from the most tragic of circumstances. On the 6th of November 2011, Alex Hamilton and Karl Waddell crawled into bed around 11pm at night after laying their 4-month-old son River to bed.
The nighttime schedule would normally allow Alex a couple of hours sleep before River would awaken Mum with a notification that he was in need of another feed.
When Alex found herself waking at 7.30am, somewhat disoriented from a full sleep, her immediate reaction was appreciation of her Mum whom she assumed had woken to look after River.
Life for the couple stopped the moment Alex entered River’s bedroom and found their son had passed away. It was a heart-breaking hell no parent can imagine, and no bystander can ever comprehend.
The couple could not understand; they had laid him in bed as per the safe sleep guidelines, there was no smoking, no outside
Words & Images: Warren Aitken
influences, it was unexplainable. It was SIDS. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Grieving for Alex and Karl included trying to understand and investigate exactly what sudden infant death syndrome is and what causes it.
Much to the couple’s dismay their investigations wielded very little. There was very limited continuing research into SIDS and safe sleep education was really the only way that the health system was addressing risk reduction of a sudden and unexpected death of infants in sleep.
It was an area that needed funds and needed dedicated researchers. It is extremely hard to get the worldwide mortality rates due to so many different recording methods, but in the USA, SIDS is the leading cause of death of infants between one month and one-year-old, around 2,500 per year.
Australia’s records show we are losing 100 children a year to SIDS. Alex and Karl took it upon themselves to start raising funds for more thorough and wider research. riversgift.org/product/ hope-the-elephant-soft-toy/
You could say ‘River’s Gift’ began at River’s funeral.
In lieu of flowers, Alex and Karl requested
donations that would be directed towards SIDS research.
The outpouring of support from family friends and others afflicted by SIDS was incredible and in 2013 Alex and Karl officially formed the not-for-profit foundation known as Rivers Gift.
A quick stop at Border Village to check all the paperwork is intact before Hope crosses the Western Australian border on the way to Perth
Line it up, border crossing here we come
Out in the middle of Western Australia, Hope grabs another snap shot. Once you have yours make sure you snap as many shots as you can and share them with us, WiTA and Rivers Gift
Snapping as many photos of Hope, with as many trucks as possible is how this works
Since its creation, River’s Gift has funded and collaborated with major researchers and studies such as Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, The University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia.
It has raised countless funds that have assisted in amazing research and are helping to change the way we look at SIDS, but there is always more research, and more studies required as we pull together on the mission of Stamping Out SIDS. Which requires more funds… and that is where the tie in with WiTA has come about.
We shall just jump back a bit before we go ahead with the WiTA tie in and mention Hope.
In River’s Gift’s early years, they were looking for a mascot I guess you could call it.
Seeing as one of River’s favourite toys was a small stuffed elephant, it was only fitting that a bright bubbly elephant become the face of River’s Gift.
And seeing as River’s Gift is all about raising
funds in order to raise knowledge and hope about SIDS, it was fitting that the bright blue elephant be named Hope.
Ok now we can jump ahead to the affiliation with WiTA.
Every year at the annual WITA BP Australia Toots awards Dinner, WiTA partner with a charity that they are going to support and acknowledge.
Helping to raise funds and awareness, WiTA CEO, Lyndal Denny, had become aware of River’s Gift through its tie in with the massive truck show held every two years in Gympie, ‘Matty Hillcoat’s Truckies Day Out’.
With the majority of truckies being Mums and Dads, the WiTA team believed River’s Gift was a charity with great intent and partnering up would be purposeful and extremely relatable.
Now we get on to why I am repeatedly sharing the above web address – Driving Hope across Australia.
Hope the Elephant has been one of
Hope found just the right vantage point in this stunning new R660 Brisbane-based tipper
It’s not all about the big journeys. Hope could be captured next to any truck, any day as part of this quest
Hope is stretching the River's Gift message as far and wide as possible, including a trip across the Nullabor Plain
the cuddliest tools River’s Gift uses in its fundraising arsenal. The Bright Blue Elephant has been seen in homes, playcentres and offices all around Australia.
When River’s Gift decided to partner up with WiTA, they decided to expand Hope’s reach and push the little Blue Elephant outside the norm. The goal being to get Hope into as many trucks as possible and ‘Drive Hope across Australia’.
In particular, Alex and Karl wanted to create and promote the Driving Hope Season, in honour of the 128 days that River graced this world with his presence, 2nd of July to the 7th of November.
The Driving Hope Across Australia campaign aims to get as many photos and images of Hope as possible, in as many trucks and as much equipment as possible, and share them through the River’s Gift social media sites, as well as the WiTA platforms.
I began this story touching on what an amazingly charitable industry we are privileged to be a part of and I truly believe that.
Our industry is made up of many Mums and Dads, Uncles and Aunties, Grandmas and Grandpas, the majority of whom may never have had to experience the loss of a child. I, for one, hope I never do.
However, SIDS is a condition that can strike out of nowhere and needs our support in research and education.
Driving Hope around Australia is a fantastic Fun Concept and I have already taken Hope across the paddock.
Hope’s been road training down in NSW and even got into the mud carting world.
Let’s see how many other places we can get Hope into. So, type out the link I have mentioned more than once and share your adventures with Driving Hope across Australia!
A quick trip around the grain yard for Hope
you have a great story to
At Deals on Wheels, we love nothing better than to celebrate the hard work our readers put into restoring trucks, organising events and attending truck shows.
If you have news you’d like to share, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing our editorial team on geoff.crockett@primecreative.com.au or Tiane.Gavillucci@primecreative.com.au or calling 0421 299 963.
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A new Western Australian forkli training facility aims to address the growing demand for operators in the state
A new purpose-built training facility has opened in Welshpool, Perth, o ering nationally accredited forkli training and various other industry programs.
Nara Training and Assessing’s (Nara) new facility aims to address the growing demand for forkli operators in Western Australia.
The forkli training course at Welshpool has increased Nara’s capacity, which was previously limited to its nearby Forrest eld location.
“Nara is excited to launch our
dedicated warehousing training facility in Welshpool, placing us even closer to the heart of Western Australia’s transport and logistics hub,” Nara head of education and training Ryan Piggott says.
“Industry-essential courses, including our forkli ticket, will now be delivered from our Welshpool campus, making training more accessible than ever for businesses and workers in the area.”
Nationally accredited forkli training will run weekly from the
Welshpool facility, with training continuing at Nara’s original training facility in Bunbury, which expanded to a second building last year due to ongoing demand.
Nara’s forkli course fees are fully inclusive, covering the passport photo, WorkSafe licence fee and the lodgement to WorkSafe.
Participants don’t need to arrange or pay for anything additional.
The rst forkli training session at Welshpool has already been complete, with the session having been fully booked out, Nara says.
Nara Training and Assessing’s new facility o ers nationally accredited forklift training. Image: Kashper/stock.adobe.com
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