Veteran owner operator Brian Smith was parked at the Puma Gold City Roadhouse, sitting in his new Kenworth C509 when Big Rigs got to yarn to him.
Based at Mt Garnet on the Atherton Tablelands, the 61-year-old truckie had been hauling cattle in the triple road train.
“It has six decks and can carry 140 cows or 110 bulls,” he said.
The Kenworth, which is powered by a 600hp motor and with an 18 speed gearbox, had already done plenty of work when I saw Brian recently.
“It is just over a month since we got it and has already done 26,000km,” he said.
Brian had picked up livestock from Collinsville and delivered them to Clermont.
“The road from the Cape River rest area to Clermont is very rough. They had only recently graded it and after rain, it needed lots of care in the triple,” he said.
Brian was ready to pick up a load of cattle at Charters Towers for delivery to the Atherton Tablelands.
He also mentioned that there was not enough good rest areas for drivers but did single out one for praise. “It is at Christmas Creek, out from Greenvale,” he said.
Brian added that he didn’t mind stopping at the Puma Gold City too.