Truckie Profiles

Brothers work side by side at family business run by their mum

Brothers Justin and John Rainbird were delivering food and general freight to the remote Hungry Wombat Roadhouse along the Lyell Highway in Tasmania in a Hino when Big Rigs saw them.

It was around noon and it was freezing cold. Snow had fallen just up the road.

They work for the family company Derwent Valley Lines and are based at scenic New Norfolk about 45km from the capital Hobart.

“We deliver general freight all around the area but the Hungry Wombat is about the furthest we come out this way,” John said.

Elder brother John is aged in his early fifties, while Justin is 46.

“This is the family business run by our mum and we have been doing it for decades,” John said.

Justin was busy and walked past carrying a container of meat pies into the roadhouse.

It seemed many were eating meat pies at the roadhouse which went down well considering the cold.

Both the brothers played Australian Rules Football for the New Norfolk club in a town where a statue of the former champion Hawthorn goalkicker Peter Hudson stands proudly.

I asked the brothers what they considered the worst roads in Tasmania and John answered swiftly.

“Any road south of the state of Victoria,” he said.

Outside his busy work schedule John rides Harley motorbikes and loves life in Tasmania.

You could see what a popular man he was when some bike riders pulled up and chatted to John about their Harleys.

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