At the date of writing this article, Victoria has already staged the Geelong Truck Show, Koroit Truck Show, Lardner Park, Tooradin Truck Show, Lancefield Truck Show, the Geelong Convoy For Kids, Clune’s Truck Show, the White Muster and the Colac Truck Show featured here, with the Beaufort Truck Show still to come before the end of the month.
With this plethora of truck shows you may think that attendances both by truckies and the public would drop off but the opposite is the case. All these shows have attracted record numbers of trucks and those coming to see them.
The Colac Truck and Ute Show on March 22 was no exception with the town’s showgrounds chock-a-block with everything from Morris Transport’s brand-new C509, to the best of major sponsor, Land Transport’s fleet, to plenty of oldies that looked as good as new.
Hard work pays off
Peter Wiffen arrived with dad, Robbie and close relative, Daryl Pigden to display Pete’s 1980 Ford 9000 Louisville.
The day cab truck is an ex-genuine Ford Motor Company vehicle that ran from Geelong to Broadmeadows towing a tipper. From there it was sold and became a truck and trailer.
Peter, with Robbie acting as gofer and Daryl as the interior specialist, bought the truck and stripped it back nut and bolt. Their work paid off with the truck winning Best Vintage at Colac.
There is much to love about this truck from every angle but a standout is the twin pipes held in place by a red painted and scrolled metal exhaust bracket, framing the rear of the truck.
It looks spectacular and makes the rear of the truck really pop.
Award-winning Transtar earns its keep
Shirl McCosker has spent the last few years buying, doing up and selling a number of trucks.
“I’ve had a K-100G, a couple of old SARs, W model and a cab over Peterbilt. It started during Covid, and I’ve had seven all up since then.”
His latest acquisition is an international Transtar 4700 from 1996 with 525N Cummins Power and this truck he intends to keep for the foreseeable future.
“I did my first interstate trip to Adelaide in a 4700 for Pattons Transport back in the day and I’d always said that before I go toes up I needed to own one.
“I found this in Lake Bolac, not far from home.
Originally owned by Towns Haulage at Bairnsdale, it was being used on a farm carting grain into the silos. I bought it virtually for the price of the motor which was new.”
Unlike his other trucks, Shirl works the Transtar at least three days a week.
“I’ve done Brisbane and Sydney a few times and next week I’m across to Perth. This would be the oldest Transtar running the paddock. In fact it might be the only Transtar running the paddock, I definitely haven’t passed any others nothing passes me though, mind you. It’s good to keep the old school going.”
Shirl’s ‘old school’ Transtar picked up the award for Best Truck 20-30 years.
Western Star shines for major sponsor
Land Transport as mentioned, was the major sponsor of the show so it was incumbent upon Nathan Krause to bring one of their trucks, a 2021 4800 Western Star named ‘Never Late in a ‘48’ along to the show.
Nathan does an overnight express shuttle run from Melbourne, out of the company’s Derrimut depot to Adelaide.
For those not in the know, the suburb of Derrimut is truck city, truck heaven or as Nathan thinks, the truckie’s nightmare suburb.
“I leave about 6pm so I get all the traffic. It really is a nightmare getting out of town.”
Some 10 hours later he drops the trailer and picks up around 4.30pm the following afternoon to return to Melbourne, getting back to Derrimut without the traffic.
“You know which direction I prefer to travel,” he quipped.
When asked how many in the Land Transport fleet, Nathan said, “They’ve got a handful, but I think it’s a pretty big hand.”
Nathan was joined at Colac by his brother, James Krause. Although involved in transport, James is not behind the wheel but is with Greenfreight Transport as an Operations Manager of the logging division.
“I look after Wodonga, Tumut, Rosewood, Myrtleford, and a bit of Colac as well,” he said.
“Across the fleet we would probably have around 50 logging trucks.
On top of that we have five log loaders and then on the interstate transport side, five single taughtliners and also flat-tops and another probably 40 or 50 in the linehaul fleet that run up the eastern seaboard.”
Proud Louisville owner pays tribute to mate
Robbie Rose is happy to stand around and yack with anyone and everyone, that is until someone puts a microphone under his nose or a video camera in front of his face.
Then he suddenly becomes very shy.
This was a problem for Robbie at Colac, because his truck won Rig of the Show for 2025.
“My hands are trembling,” he said.
We did, however, manage to get a few words out of him.
Robbie, who has worked for McColl’s transport for 36 years, has owned his Ford Louisville for six years. Originally painted black, Robbie got together with the late and great Rick ‘Chocks’ Hayman to come up with a new colour scheme.
“I definitely wasn’t going black again! My Cadillac (a nine-seat limousine) is black and I can’t have two black vehicles,” he said.
“This is what I call a Dulux resto. Chocks and I just kept mixing dark blue paint and added in silver until we got to a point where we knew it was going to be right. Then we added the black and white striping.
“We designed so many paint jobs but then we got to this, decided it looked old school and stuck with it. This was the second last truck that Chocks painted before he passed away.”
This was the first award Robbie has won with the Louisville – hence those trembling hands.
He was also very proud that it is a rolling dedication to the memory of Rick Hayman. Congratulations Robbie on a deserved win.
In only its second year, Colac can look forward to a bright future amongst the myriad of truck shows staged in Victoria.
It might be advisable to start a rigorous exercise regime right now to be fit enough to spend the day walking around Colac and all the other shows that Victoria offers – and it’s only the beginning.
Truck category winners
Truck of Show
Robbie Rose – 1988 Ford LTL 9000
Best Truck 0-5 years
Noel McLeod – 2024 Kenworth T909
Best Truck 5-10 years
Steve Settineri – 2018 Kenworth T900 Legend
Best Truck 10-20 years
Luke Watts – 2007 Kenworth T904
Best Truck 20-30 years
Shirl McCosker – 1996 International Transstar 4700
Best Vintage Truck 30+ years
Troy Moreland – 1980 Ford LNT 9000
Best Local Truck (Colac Otway Shire)
Noel McLeod – 2024 Kenworth T909
Best Highway Truck
Layne Moulds – 2022 Kenworth T909
Best Log Truck
Sam Dicker – 2024 Kenworth T909
Best Livestock Truck
Jason Keen – 2023 Kenworth T909
Best Restoration Truck
Ryan Higgins – 1985 Mack R Model
Best European Truck
Peter Shiells – 1974 International Atkinson Halfcab
Best American Truck
Darren Russell – 2024 Kenworth T610 SAR
Best Rigid Truck
Larry Whitten – 1987 Kenworth T600
Best Tipper Truck
Lewis Johnstone – 2024 Kenworth T909
Best Tow Truck (Tilt Tray or Heavy Tow)
Modern Towing – 2023 Kenworth T610
People’s Choice Truck
Will Snell – 2024 Kenworth T659
Best Fleet (3 or more trucks)
Morris Transport
- For more great show pics, grab your free copy of the April 11 issue of Big Rigs from your usual outlet, or download the free digital edition from our website after the same date.