Rockhampton-based driver Paul Dobbs, 50, had delivered fish to Townsville, which had come from far away in Tasmania when Big Rigs saw him recently.
He was driving a Kenworth K200 for Centurion and had stopped at the Townsville Port Access Road hook-up pad.
“The truck carrying the fish came across from Tasmania by ship and a Melbourne driver brought it up to Rockhampton where I took over,” he said.
A truckie for 24 years, Paul has worked for Centurion for the past five and a half.
He said the BP Roadhouse at Caboolture was a good place to stop. “It has clean facilities and good food.”
However most of the time while on trips Paul brings his own food prepared by his wife.
“I have a 12-volt oven and a microwave with me,” he said.
The worst road he gets along is between Condamine and Moonie in Queensland.
Regarding rest areas, he doesn’t think there are enough especially in Queensland.
“There are more suitable for big trucks in NSW. In Queensland there are lots of pull off areas but not so many rest areas with facilities for us drivers,” he said.
Ironically Paul was born in the Townsville suburb of Wulguru which is a few kilometres from where I saw him.
I noticed a lot of dead insects on the front of his truck and asked where they were most prevalent.
“In many places but there can be a lot especially on the Fitzroy Development Road between Dingo and Nebo. They seem to come out more after rain,” he said.
His favourite hobby outside work is riding his trusty 2012 Harley motorbike.