Based at Warrnambool in Victoria, owner operator Paddy McKenna was far away along the Port Access Road in Townsville when Big Rigs spotted him tending to his trailers.
McKenna, 52, drives a Kenworth K108 and had transported fibreglass pipes from Lonsdale in South Australia. He said it was the fourth time he had travelled to the far north of Queensland.
“I have been a truckie for 32 years and it is a good life,” he said.
His first name is Pat, “But everybody knows me as Paddy,” he said in explanation.
On the front of his Kenworth were numerous small dead insects – and he had encountered many during the long trip.
“There has been lots of them at many places especially between Dalby and Bundaberg,” he said.
On his travels McKenna enjoys stopping at the Little Topar Roadhouse where he said the owners and staff are friendly, the food is good and truckie facilities are clean.
He nominated the worst road he travels along as between Cunnamulla and Charleville.
During the football season, he barracks for the Essendon Bombers in the AFL.
Outside work McKenna likes spending time with family and sleeping.
A very friendly truckie, I saw McKenna an hour after snapping his pic at a roadhouse about 4km away and he had a wide smile on his face.
As I drove off I also saw this hard working driver tending to his trailers in the roadhouse parking area.