Enthusiastic driver Justin ‘Harv’ Harvey, 42, was transporting fertiliser and tiles from Brisbane to Ayr when Big Rigs spotted him at the Gold City Roadhouse on the outskirts of Charters Towers.
Harv was parked and standing beside his Type 1 road train eating some lunch.
“Everybody knows me as Harv and most don’t even know my first name,” he said.
Harv works for DF&DL Drain Transport which is based at Ayr in the Burdekin region of the tropics.
“I have been in the industry for 22 years and with this company for the past nine. They are the best people I have ever worked for. I have never been employed by a better boss,” he said.
Harv enjoys stopping at the Injune Roadhouse which is also a favourite of numerous other truckies I have spoken to.
“The staff are awesome and the food delicious,” he said.
Outside work his hobbies include motor bike riding and barramundi fishing in the abundant creeks and river around Ayr and Home Hill in the Burdekin region.
“I live on a cane farm at Home Hill and catch lots of barra as well as mud crabs and sand crabs. One of the best spots is at Beach Mouth south of Inkerman,” he said.
He would be the envy of many other truckies as these shelled crustaceans are a delicacy and are expensive to purchase, especially in the southern states.
I saw that his truck was dubbed “Anything Goes” and the reason for that sparked my curiosity buds.
“All our trucks are named after songs by the group AC/DC,” he said in explanation.
As for rest areas, Harv said there are not enough for drivers but he does have one that he was glowing in his praise of.
“It is between Rolleston and Injune and I am a creature of habit and stop there when in the area,” he said.
Harv barracks for the high rolling Brisbane Broncos in the NRL and loves spending time with family including his three sons.
A connoisseur of fine food, I asked Harv what his favourite meal is.
“It would have to be juicy rib eye steak. I get some when in Townsville at a butcher shop in Condon,” he said.
Harv nominated the highway between Charters Towers and Clermont as the worst he gets on. “Especially a section 20km south of Belyando,” he said.
A community minded truckie, Harv loved supporting the annual Convoy for a Cure in Townsville.