This experienced diesel mechanic has thrown himself straight into the deep end, taking on his first ever truck driving gig – on one of the country’s most remote and difficult runs.
Getting to the remote Aboriginal community of Tjuntjuntjara is no easy feat. There are only two roads into the town and both are extremely treacherous.
Think ungraded red dirt tracks – and if there’s rain, there’s a good chance of getting bogged. Plus there’s plenty of wild camels to look out for, just for good measure.
Tjuntjuntjara is home to around 100 people and is located approximately 650 kilometres north-east of Kalgoorlie, in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia.
For seven years, the town relied on veteran outback truck driver Kym Mozol, 64, to keep their only community store stocked. For years he did the fortnightly1800-kilometre round trip, battling some of the most trying conditions.
Since retiring from his only outback run in December to focus on the rest of his freight work as well as running his Ceduna-based farm in South Australia, he’s passed the baton on to young go-getter Jordan Lambeff.
Aged 34, Jordan has spent his career honing his skills as a diesel mechanic. Now he’s expanded his horizons from under the hood to behind the wheel.
Also based in Ceduna, Jordan has been a heavy diesel mechanic for all of his working life. He developed a passion for trucks early on, inspired by his father Chris Lambeff who was an interstate driver for Harris Refrigerated. Jordan recalled the trips he and his older brother Dion Lambeff – also a diesel mechanic – would take with their dad when he headed over to Perth. “That really planted the seed in my head about getting into trucks,” said Jordan.
After completing his diesel mechanic apprenticeship, Jordan spent eight years working as a heavy diesel mechanic, doing workshop and field work across the Nullarbor for Hokko’s Mechanical Repairs in Ceduna. In 2019 he moved to Western Australia, where he worked at various mine sites across the Pilbara as a mobile plant fitter, working on diggers, drill rigs and dump trucks.
Then in late 2024 he returned to Ceduna and began contracting to a gypsum mine site as a fitter. He’s on a two week on/two week off roster, working around the fortnightly Tjuntjuntjara trip.
“I am still predominantly a mechanic but I’m also now doing the Tjuntjuntjara run once a fortnight,” said Jordan.
“Having that field service work experience has been really handy – but I didn’t have much experience driving trucks.”
In fact, Jordan only got his HC licence in December 2024 and plans to upgrade to his MC later this year, as soon as he’s able to.
“I got my HC licence about three weeks before the first Tjuntjuntjara run I did on January 8.”
Admittingly, he did already have a fairly good idea of what he was getting himself into, as his brother Dion did the odd Tjuntjuntjara fill-in run for Kym every now and then. “We got chatting one day, and now here we are,” said Jordan.
“I’d always thought about having my own trucks but this just happened on a whim. I bought a 2010 Western Star 4900 FX off a friend, so I’ve been using that for now. But I’m going to buy the red Kenworth from Kym. I’ve also bought Kym’s trailers but can only tow the one for now until I get my MC.”
That Kenworth is a 2000-model T604 that Kym has owned for years. However it needs a little love, after Kym’s final run in December didn’t quite go to plan. There were a few hiccups along the way making for a memorable last hoorah on the route Kym describes as being “rough as guts”.
The trusty old T604 is currently still in the workshop being repaired. “It was defected before I bought it,” said Jordan. “So once they get that up and running, that’ll be the truck I use for the Tjuntjuntjara trips. And then I’ll use the Western Star for other runs. I’ll try and focus more on the harder bush sort of jobs and remote work.
“I want to buy some tippers and a flat bed trailer too. Mum has a farm, so I’ll be able to use the tippers to cart grain.”
Asked how his first Tjuntjuntjara run went earlier in the year, Jordan laughed: “I don’t know what I’ve walked into here. I’ve put countless hours into the truck and trailer already.
“The first run I just winged it. I broke down three times.
“First it was a couple of airlines. Then the air drive shit itself. And then one of the radius rod bolts that hold the axle in line broke on the trailer.
“That run normally takes 14 hours but the first one I did was about 16-17 hours by the time I got all those things sorted.”
Jordan also revealed some of the things he carries on each trip – including some items you might not expect. “I carry every spare part you can think of and I take all my tools, as well as a chainsaw.”
He soon revealed why. “On that first trip I went out there, it was such a beautiful night and I could see a storm in the distance. Then I got closer and there huge trees that had fallen all over the road, so I had to stop and move them – some were too big so they had to be moved branch by branch. Now I carry a chainsaw just in case!”
Though he hasn’t been bogged – yet – Jordan goes out prepared. “Everyone gets bogged out on that road so I’ve bought myself a huge truck winch which I’m going to fit onto the truck and a two-inch water pump, so depending how big the puddles are, I can pump them out when it rains.”
Over the last few trips, Jordan has had the opportunity to familiarise himself with the road – if you can call it that – and do a few things to make for a slightly smoother journey. “The 350-kilometres of road from Oak Valley in South Australia to Tjuntjuntjara is just terrible. It’s that last bit into the town, you really shouldn’t be driving a truck on that road!” he said.
“I’ve been putting my drive tyres and trailer tyres down to 40 psi and the steers down to 60 psi when it’s hot and that’s made a huge difference. On the first trip I didn’t let the tyres down enough and was worried about the truck getting damaged. Some of the time I was at 50km/h and the rest was at 20km/h – so it was hours of shaking and rattling, I thought the truck wasn’t going the last!”
It has undoubtedly been a steep learning curve, and with three trips now under his belt, we asked Jordan if he thought he’d made the right decision. And so far, he has no regrets. “I do love the outdoors and the outback. I love the bush and the sense of adventure. I’m having a lot of fun out there.”