For many truck drivers who spend a lot of their time on the road, a good old-fashioned roadhouse can offer comfort, friendly banter and a decent home-cooked meal. But for this retired truckie, one particular roadhouse holds a special place in his heart.
Years ago, Ron Williams, 68, often frequented the Caltex Benaraby in Queensland’s Gladstone region, while working for Galmack Transport.
He was with the company for 13.5 years, up until it closed down in 2019, when the owner retired. His role involved delivering poly pipe all over outback Queensland.
Back in 2009, while stopped at Caltex Benaraby, Ron met his future wife, who he proposed to just three months later.
Tracy Williams, now 55, was one of the roadhouse’s cooks and kitchen hands. Her late mother Cynthia was also a cook there, working the morning shift, with Tracy taking over in the afternoon.
Ron had been a regular at that roadhouse for a number of years.
“I’d been stopping at Benaraby since 2006. Before I met Tracy she had been working at the Caltex Ilbilbie – and thinking back I knew I had seen her there, but never had a chance to speak to her,” Ron recalled.
“Tracy started working at Benaraby in 2007, so I’d seen her but never had anything to do with her. I was just another customer.
“I’d often have certain meals I ordered at certain roadhouses, because I knew that’s what they did well. Then one day Tracy said, I’ve got something on the menu you haven’t tried yet. She put a chicken kiev in front me – and I love chicken kiev and I’ve loved it ever since.”
The pair got to know each other better while sharing a meal. And before long, Tracy began travelling in the truck with Ron whenever she got the chance.
“At the time I was driving a 1985 Kenworth K100C. I loved that job with Galmack and Tracy would come with me all the time on her days off – when I knew I could go from Benaraby and back – to get her there in time for her next shift.”
And it was in that K100C, just three months after sharing that special meal, that Ron proposed to Tracy. “That’s the truck I was driving when I met her and that’s the truck I proposed to her in, in January 2010, while we were parked at the BP in Burpengary.”
The couple were married on October 9 of that same year.
“Tracy actually told me one night that her father always said, don’t you ever bring home a truckie,” laughed Ron. “He actually drove trucks and worked as a mechanic among other things, and has an incredible amount of knowledge when it comes to all the mechanical stuff.”
Ron revealed he also enjoys writing poetry, and often writes poems for Tracy – particularly on birthdays, wedding anniversaries, at Christmas time and for other special occasions.
Tracy was originally from Sarina in Queensland. While Ron grew up in the western suburbs of Sydney, then spent almost two decades living in New Zealand, before returning to Sydney and then moving to Queensland in 2005.
The couple now reside in the small regional town of Blackbutt in Queensland’s South Burnett region, however now that they are both retired, they love to hit the road in their vintage caravan.
“We have a 1969 Olympic Debonair caravan. Before that we had a 1958 Carapark 12/9. It was also a good caravan but had been in the shed for 40 years when I pulled it out. I did a fair bit of work on that one before selling it about 12 months ago to buy this one.
“Tracy and I have travelled with it through Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia and we have a few more trips planned for next year too.”
A vintage car enthusiast, with a particular love for older Holdens, Ron currently owns three. He has had his 1970 HG Holden Kingswood ute for over 25 years. “It’s original and unrestored but needs a little TLC,” admitted Ron. “I also have a 1970 HG Holden panel van, which is partly restored, and a 1958 FC Holden panel van.”
Ron says he’s hoping to take the FC Holden on a few road trips with the caravan next year once he gets it registered. “I just need to work out the towing capacity first!”