<<Rewind 2012: The Castlemaine Truck Show

In-depth

17 Oct

Prologue: How times change! In 2012 Jon Kelly was at the top of his game with HHA and went well out of his way for a number of years to support the Castlemaine show. AdTrans has since changed to become Trucksales.com. Tony Kuchel, Rick ‘Chocs’ Hayman, Ian Lee and others who were regular attendees have sadly passed on, and last year the show was cancelled. This year I believe the organisers are putting on a much reduced event.

So let’s go down memory lane to 2012 and relive one of the best truck shows to grace the Australian stage.

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**A truck show’s not a truck show without Klos**

Some of you may remember an old movie starring Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn called 'Same Time Next Year', where a couple have a weekend affair whilst staying at a hotel and it continues on an annual basis throughout their lives. Castlemaine Truck Show, held each November is much the same. Come to Castlemaine once and you'll be hooked. Expect to be returning every year forever more.

John Kelly is a busy man and there is not a lot of business to be gained for his Brisbane based company, Heavy Haulage Australia this far South. But John has fallen in love with the show. This year- his 6th attendance - he turned up with four rigs, including a superbly restored and award winning 1990 Mack Valueliner V8 - a rolling homage to his grandfather, Frank 'Smiler' Nilon.

Add to this a Volvo plated 'SWEDE 4', a KW and a new 389 Peterbilt with an apt number plate 'SINISTR', and the show's centrepiece was set. In the, I-Bet-You-Didn't-Know-This stakes, HHA's 33 strong fleet of trucks are each painted with their own unique design utilizing the HHA colours. HHA goes from strength to strength with a 258 Pete and 6 Mack Titans due for delivery to the company in the New Year. John's support of the show is such that he supplies the caps and show bags each year.

New visitors to the show this year were Judy Oliver and her son Alan, all the way from Cloncurry with a brand-new 388Peterbilt. 150 ton rated, road-train triple spec, the truck was built to order by American Truckworks. By the time the truck was converted to a right hooker - and Judy's artistic vision was turned into reality paintwork - the Oliver's had outlaid some $600,000.

With an IXF15 Cummins donk driving through an 18 speed auto, the Pete hauls tippers, floats and flat tops. The 70 inch sleeper is a nice place to be with double bed, TV (2), fridge, captain's chairs and enough hanging space to please Imelda Marcos. When asked why a Pete? Judy replied simply, "They're beautiful! Hubby (Mike) wanted a Volvo. We went along with him in so far as having an automatic transmission."

Like all who turn up at Castlemaine, the Oliver's are salt of the earth people.

**Just another day in paradise for the Cornwill boys**

A couple of trucks down was Megatip's 2006 Mack Superliner. An ex BP Reliance rollover, Megatip boss, Tony Howe came across the truck and said to hard-working employee, Aaron Vanderschoot that he had 'a bit of a project' for him to work on.

Over the ensuing four months, after hours, weekends and in every spare moment Aaron stripped everything usable out of the old cab and replaced it into a new shell. The grey and blue interior was custom-made as was the blue fibreglass dash. Greg Lyle from Kyabram painted the truck and chassis. Batteries were moved in board to give the full tank look with one of the 'tanks' doubling as a toolbox.

"I started to get worried about how much of the boss's money I was spending but in the end he was coming to me and saying how about we do this, or let's do that." Aaron's efforts paid off with the truck winning two awards at Castlemaine.

John Bell showed up with his black 362 cab over Peterbilt. A 1990 model, the truck was refurbished by Frank Christie in 1999. John has owned the Pete for 11 years and loves it. "It's been a good truck. I look after it and it looks after me."

With a drop deck, mezzanine tautliner John hauls general freight out of Tullamarine to wherever it needs to be.

Major sponsor, Adtrans pulled off a coup by winning their donated trophy for rig of the show - they must sell good trucks! This year was a record participation with 189 trucks registering for the various awards on offer and needless to say, the Sunday morning convoy through town had more bling than the gay mardi-gras.

**Mick Anic with Adtrans' show winning Peterbilt.**

The highlight of the show was, however, the Saturday evening. With the sun setting, truck lights were switched on around the ground and one truck horn sounding off was followed by a cacophony of competition. Blokes who would pass each other every day in the line of business met face to face for the first time and swapped stories of their rigs and the road.

**Lenny Rainback's Argossy – Cruise ships have fewer lights.**

Everywhere people mingled, enjoying the balmy evening and a beer together. This was the sort of camaraderie the industry used to be famous for - perhaps it's still not dead. This is the reason Castlemaine continues to grow and be supported by the likes of the HHA's and Adtrans of this world.

Castlemaine - Same time next year! Meantime enjoy these….