As this well regarded Queensland transport operator heads into retirement, the business he started over 20 years ago carries on.
Tim and Theresa Welk started Camrandale Transport back in 2004 and built a trusted name in livestock transport, in Queensland’s Central West.
The name Camrandale was derived by combining the names of their two sons Cameron and Dale Welk, who have both been involved in the family business.
Tim has spent a lifetime in the transport game, learning to drive trucks from a very young age, then working in various roles before running his own transport businesses – most recently Camrandale Transport.
He was just 17 years old when he got his truck licence and by 18, he was already pulling triple single decks of livestock.
Tim’s contribution to the livestock industry was recently recognised by the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA), when he was named one of their “Icons of the Road” in February 2025.
“He’s been in the game for a substantial amount of time,” said his son Cameron.
From one family business to another, Camrandale Transport was recently acquired by Martins Stock Haulage.
Director and General Manager at Martins, Adam Ross, told Big Rigs that the acquisition officially took effect in April 2025, however the wheels were in motion from about a year prior.
Camrandale Transport is based in the town of Quilpie and operates eight prime movers and triple road trains.
Despite the change in ownership, Adam revealed, “The Camrandale fleet will continue to carry the Camrandale name that the Central West has come to know and trust. It will be business as usual for Camrandale Transport.
“We want to continue what Tim’s built and keep up the service and reliability for his customers.”
All Camrandale Transport staff will also be retained, with Cameron Welk continuing on at the Quilpie depot, as area manager.
Cameron is well versed in running the Camrandale operation. “Transport has been in the blood all my life. I’ve always done whatever was needed to keep the cogs turning,” he said.
Though Cameron spent some time working away from the family business, he was still involved and helped out any way he could. It was about 10 years ago that he officially joined his father’s side, helping him to run the business as his right-hand man.
“My parents are retiring now – Dad is 69 and Mum is 68 – so the timing goes hand in hand with the sale,” said Cameron.
“Martins is a good fit, so all the stars aligned.”
“Our values align well, not only professionally but in a family capacity too. It was also very important for us to maintain the integrity the business has become known for.”
This latest acquisition makes Martins Stock Haulage the biggest livestock transport operator in Australia, but as Adam explained, that’s an accolade they never set out to achieve. “We don’t want to be the biggest, we just want to be the best at what we do.”
Martins Stock Haulage was started by Gordon Martin in 1958 when he began carting pigs and calves in the Singleton and Maitland areas of New South Wales. Today the business he started all those years ago has grown to operate a fleet of 89 prime movers and 270 livestock trailers, strategically supported by depots in Dubbo, Scone, Oakey, and now Quilpie.
Gordon’s son Jason Martin took the reins as company director in 2018. He and Adam work closely together, and though Gordon is no longer involved in the day-to-day running, Adam says he’s still very much hands on.
“Gordon is still chairman of the board. He likes to keep involved. He also gets on the phone to check up on us – and he’s very quick to tell us if we do something wrong!” laughed Adam.
Acquisitions have been an important part of Martins’ continued growth. The purchase of Camrandale is the 25th acquisition in Martins 67-year history.
“Throughout the history of Martins Stock Haulage, Gordon has bought companies every four to five years,” said Adam. “Gordon is a man of integrity and would never go in to try and steal a job. If he’s interested, he’ll go in and make an offer. He’s instilled that into myself and Jason too – we’re only as good as our word.
“We actually identified some years ago that we’d love to buy Camrandale Transport. It operates in a good area we wanted to expand into. The Camrandale name is of high value in this industry. They have really good gear, with the same sorts of trucks and trailers as our fleet, so the acquisition was a natural fit for us,” Adam explained.
“We didn’t do much out here on this side of Queensland, in the Channel Country, which was always an area we wanted to break into.
“We worked a lot with Tim Welk already, as he’d bring livestock into Roma and Morven for his customers, then we’d transport them down the bottom end. That’s how we got to know Tim over the last three or four years. Both our businesses got on very well and that’s how this all came about.”
A couple of months into the acquisition, Adam says it’s all going extremely well. “The transition went so smoothly and we have Cameron staying on as area manager. It’s the same name, the same faces. Nothing has changed and that’s just the way we wanted it.”