The Truck Drivers’ Memorial Wall in Grafton, NSW, has become a dumping ground, strewn with rubbish and overgrown – with various issues leaving family members too scared to visit to honour their loved ones.
The Memorial Wall was first opened in 2005, to pay tribute to truck drivers who have lost their lives.
Built on council land, on the Pacific Highway at South Grafton, plaques on the wall honour the memory of those truckies who are sadly no longer with us.
Hayley Kay told Big Rigs her brother’s name was added to the Truck Drivers’ Memorial Wall in Grafton last year.
An experienced road train operator, Justin Kay tragically lost his life on July 20, 2020, when his truck rolled on the Leichardt Highway, around 15km north of Taroom, Queensland. He was only 39 years of age.
Hayley says that despite being on council land, the Clarence Valley Council has failed to properly maintain the memorial site.
Hayley shared with Big Rigs the letter she sent to the council on May 15.
In the letter, she wrote, “This land is under your control. It is meant to honour the men and women who died driving trucks for this country – including my brother, Justin. Instead, it has been left to rot.
“Rubbish is everywhere. Homeless camps have taken over. Families cannot safely visit. Justin’s children recently tried to go to the wall and were too frightened to approach it. They left heartbroken. That should never happen at a memorial site.”
Almost a month has passed and Hayley is still awaiting a response from the council.
When she spoke with Big Rigs this week, Hayley said, “There are a lot of homeless people who have moved into the area, but that’s not my issue. The issue is that you can’t even access the wall. There are trolleys dumped with rubbish, it looks like a dump and smells really bad. The council is not doing their job. This has been ongoing for years.”
While Hayley lives in the South Burnett region of Queensland, her parents and brother live close by to Grafton. She says the last time they visited the memorial site, they brought a whipper snipper with them, so they could access the wall.
“My family has got to the point where they don’t want to go anywhere near the Memorial Wall. People have even had stuff thrown at their cars too.”
In her letter to the council, Hayley requested the immediate cleanup and proper maintenance of the site; safety measures that allow families to visit without fear; and long-term protection of the memorial space.
UPDATE (June 17, 2025): Big Rigs contacted the Clarence Valley Council about the situation. To read comments from the council spokesperson, click here.
This problem with the Grafton Memorial Wall is, to me, symptomatic of a general attitude that has spread around Australia over the past 30-odd years. In many aspects of Australian life there is less and less respect shown for anything or anyone. I lived in the USA for a short while, in the late-90’s; and, what’s happening in Australia reminds me of that God-forsaken country. People have become so selfish. It’s all: “Me, Me, Me”; “Where’s mine”; “Why wasn’t I given one”; etc. The concept of thinking about others, and actually caring for something beyond The Self, has just gone out the window. I came to Australia in the 60’s, when my folks migrated from England; and, I long ago became a citizen of this wonderful country. But, the Australia that I came to know and love, during the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s, just doesn’t seem to exist anymore. I wish I was in Grafton, so I could go down and clean-up the Memorial myself. Unfortunately, I’m in Adelaide; and, now retired from that great industry: Trucking!
Safe roads everyone.