Coburg born Craig Falkingham is now a driver based in the North Queensland town of Mackay and loves life in the tropics.
“Although it is a bit hot today,” he said when Big Rigs saw him in Townsville in the 35-degree heat.
He works for Callcorr Heavy Haulage and parked his Kenworth while waiting for a call to pick up part of a wash plant to deliver to Adani in Central Queensland.
“It will be a wide load with police escorts and the works,” he said.
Aged 53, Falkingham has been a truckie for more than 20 years including some time driving in Western Australia.
“The roads in WA are far superior overall than in Queensland,” he said.
Falkingham likes stopping at the Little Topar Roadhouse and the Torrens Creek Hotel on his travels, saying that they cater well for truckies.
He said there was a shortage of rest areas and added that van drivers often take up too much space.
Covid-19 has affected Falkingham, as he explained: “I had to cancel a holiday,” he said.
The first truck he drove was an AEC with a 653hp engine.
Falkingham barracks for Collingwood in the AFL and the Cowboys in the rival NRL.