We were sad to hear from our man down in the Colac area, Tommy MacSporan, that another well-known and popular Victorian trucking legend Ian ‘Superduck’ McDonald from Warrnambool, has been having a bit of a rough time of late, and we would like to join his many friends on the road in wishing him a speedy recovery and better days ahead.
Tommy asked if we could also give Phil Garrett a plug, as he has had an amazing career and deserves some long overdue recognition.
He added: “Lucky Phil Garrett, is a name synonymous with the Colac Convoy for Kids and the co-founder of the highly successful Colac Truck show.”
Phil’s father Kenny was the founder of the Colac truck show which he started in 1992 prior to passing the reins over to Phil.
Kenny, an avid country and western singer, travels the country singing at many high-profile singing functions to this day.
Phil began the Convoy for kids out of Colac, this year on February 16 with all proceeds going to Camp Quality and seeing 30 trucks leave Colac to join the convoy.
He organised an auction and trivia night to raise funds to be the lead truck in the convoy where he raised $7495 and became the leader of the Convoy.
Lucky Phil’s transport dreams started when he was nine years old, he used to work for a local transport company Stewie Neal’s transport washing trucks and occasionally Stewie would take Phil for a trip to Melbourne with him.
Phil continued this until he was 18 and he gained his licence, back then you were not allowed drive in a 100km radius which Phil did for Stewie NEAL doing deliveries for him.
Phil did this right up until he was 22 and got itchy feet and wanted to go up the highway doing interstate so he approached another local company Merv Brunt’s Transport and Merv gave him a go and he ran Melb-Adel-Syd Carting wood chips and general freight.
Phil did this for many years and then went and worked for Scott’s transport in Mt Gambier driving a Transtar, driving pretty well Australia wide.
After several years at Scott’s Phil wanted to be home more so he left and went back to Stewie Neal’s transport and stayed there for many years and then took the plunge and went out and bought a Kenworth 604, which was a credit to him as it was always impeccably detailed.
Phil subbied for Toll-SPD for two years until a person approached Phil to see if he wanted to sell his truck and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Phil then sold it to the bloke and again went back to Stewie Neal’s transport in Colac to drive interstate right up util Stewie sold the business.
Phil then went to Wettenhalls Transport where he worked for seven years doing interstate up until eight weeks ago. Phil now works for Shiell transport another local transport company running Melb- Adel-Mt Gambier carting timber.
Even though Phil bleeds Kenworth blood, he’s driving a Western Star for Shiell Transport which he loves and says Shiell’s are a great family company who keep their equipment in immaculate condition and it’s like driving a new truck even though it’s not a Kenworth.
Good on you Phil and thanks for keeping the dream alive.