After a long wait, the go-ahead has been given for the Dane Ballinger Memorial Truck Show to take place in Bathurst, NSW, on November 14.
Finally, a chance for friends to catch up, for everyone in the industry to check in on each other, and most importantly to show that the trucking industry hasn’t lost all hope.
Right from the start, the Bathurst Regional Council is in keen support of the event, the tense wait was until the final approval from the NSW Government came through at the start of the month.
With the COVID safe event taking place in the expansive Bathurst Showgrounds, the 14 acres allows for adequate social distancing measures.
Once again, the truck show is being run alongside the Christmas markets as it has in previous years, meaning there will be something for everyone at the show.
Everyone’s details will have to be taken on the way in to comply with current regulations, but the $5 entry price and ability to attend what looks to be the only major show all year, will be more than worth the effort.
The quality of trucks that are attracted to the Dane Ballinger Memorial Truck Show are beyond belief, with the fleets of Dean Campbell, the Lawrence family, Ballinger Transport themselves, plus so many more, making up the spectacle that is the lineup on the field.
One custom workshop that has laid spanners on quite a few trucks in the show lineup is Klos Custom Trucks. The Brothers Klos were close friends with Dane Ballinger, so his loss affected them as it did with so many across the industry.
We caught up with Justin Klos to get his thoughts on the show going ahead, and he told us: “This show is not like a normal truck show. People don’t just attend the Dane Ballinger Memorial Truck Show, they go to be a part of it.
“This is a show where family will meet up, where friends get together and the large cars congress. You can still feel Dane’s presence there, so come out and feel the vibe.”
As with previous years, the Memorial Truck Show will support the Christmas Miracle Appeal, a local charity run by the 2BS radio station teaming up with the Bathurst Lions.
A cause close to Dane’s heart, the charity helps the needy families of Bathurst in the time leading up to Christmas.
Organising the truck show was important to Dane as well, and one of the people he entrusted to keep the show running smoothly was Debbie Campbell, who is still one of the driving forces behind the show as it is today.
Debbie took the time to tell us: “It’s been a long and difficult year, it’s been a year now that Dane has been gone, and we want to bring the industry together.”
Registration is required though. You can find the registration form on the website, or email the organisers at info@bathursttruckshow.com.au.