Casino Truck Show 2024 tops 30,000 visitors and 600 trucks

“Absolutely ecstatic” is the way Sharon Davidson, Richmond Valley Council’s Manager of Community Connection, describes the feeling among truck show organisers in the wake of this year’s record breaking Casino Truck Show.

More than 30,000 people flocked to the town on August 3 to lay their eyes on 600 trucks whose owners had made the trek from all over Australia to be part of this festival of chrome.

The grand truck parade saw the crowd turn out with camp chairs, barbecues, and all manner of trucking themed clothes to watch more than 300 trucks roll down the Bruxner Highway and take turns entering the CBD to park up in the centre of town for judging for the truck show trophies.

“We’re blown away by how much love there was for the Casino Truck Show,” Sharon says. “It’s the biggest single day event the Richmond Valley has ever held.

“Probably one of the biggest single day events on the Northern Rivers. It’ll be bigger and better next year too.”

St Mary’s Primary School principal John O’Brien says the truck show is much loved by his school community.

Volunteers from the school manned a sausage sizzle on the day and raised $2090 for the local community kitchen from $2 drinks and sausages in bread, and a few car parks at $10 a pop.

“We’ll be doing it again next year. It was great and we’re happy to support it”.

For Truck of the Show winner Andrew Salter, the trek from Adelaide to be part of the event for his second time proved well worth it.

Andrew, who carts oversized loads all over Australia and is often away from home for a month at a time, says he ran the last 1,500 kms to Casino empty, just because he wanted to be part of the big day.

“It’s a good community, good people and a good atmosphere,” he says.

“As long as they’re holding it on the streets, I’ll be back.”

His Kenworth K200 is rated to two 140 tonne and he said the ability to load on 2,000 litres of fuel had been a key factor in choosing the cab over option at the time.

Asked about his favourite destination to travel for work Andrew says Perth and Western Australia stands out because of the easy camaraderie between the truckies and the enforcement teams at Main Roads.

At home in Adelaide Andrew’s family, his wife and three boys aged 25 to 30, hold the fort.

While Deals on Wheels took way too many photos to share them all over the weekend, we’ve included a gallery of highlights below and winners list after that for those interested in knowing who won what.

Casino Truck Show Winners List

Award

• Best Service Vehicle               147         Isuzu                     Dynamic Fleet Maintenance
• Best Specialised                      557         KWT401               Dautrans
• Best Car Carrier                      741         KW T410              Statewide Car Carriers
• Best Tanker                             386         KW T610              Monaro Fuel
• Best Tipper – Civil                 348         KW T600             Matt Lee Excavations
• Best Tipper – Bulk                 073         KW T659              TJK Transport
• Best Log Truck                        397         Western Star       N & N Smith
• Best Livestock                         388         KW C509             MFT
• Best Refrigerated                   413         KW T909              Churchill Transport
• Best General Freight             430         KW T909             Dawson’s Haulage
• Best Heavy Recovery            543         KW T909              Anywhere Truck & Machinery
• Best Heavy Haulage              029         KW C504             SNS Heavy Haul
• Best Rigid                                 116         KW T359              JDN
• Best Tilt-Tray                          591         Hino FE                All Coast Towing
• Best Day Cab                           518         K100                      Lawrence Transport
• Best Bonnetted                       530         Western Star        HHA
• Best Cab-Over                         049         K200                     PJB Transport
• Best Engine Bay                      289         Mack S/Liner      Karramen Quarries
• Best Custom Truck                 580         KW T909              J & J McMahon
• Best 2470 Local Truck           396         KW T600              CMT
• Mayor’s Choice                        052         KW Mini               Phil Ford
• Best Sponsors Display                                                           SNS Heavy Haulage
• Best Restoration                     401         KW T600              Wickhams Freightlines
• Best Historic                            219         Diamond T           Cromack Transport
• Best Classic                              497         KW W900             Bondwoods Transport
• Best Japanese                         349         Hino                       TKN
• Best European                        332         Volvo                      SRH Milk
• Best Ford                                 238         Ford LTL               Ikin Haulage
• Best Iveco                                272         Iveco S-Way          Bolen & Son
• Best Freightliner                    030         F/Liner FLB         Elite Trucking Co
• Best Western Star                  067         W/Star                   Northern Rivers Cold Freight
• Best Peterbilt                          526         Peterbilt                 Spinifex
• Best Mack – Old Breed              500        Mack S/Liner   HHA
• Best Mack – New Breed            582         Mack                  Milko
• Best Kenworth – Pre-2000      165                                      Rasmussen Bulk
• Best Kenworth – Post-2000    433         KW T909           O’Neill’s
• Youngest Entrant                       065         Hino                   Rodic Schubert
• Fleet Maintenance                     397         W/Star               N & N Smith
• Doing the Business                   429         KW T950            Collins Haulage
• That’s Large                               552         Mack                    Willet Transport
• Absolute Banger                       156         Ford LTL              Milin Transport
• Smick As                                    250         KW 104B              Fruit Haulage
• Bare Essentials                         087         KW T900              Taylor Holdings
• Industry Pride & Passion          051         KW T900            Steve McLean Transport
• Industry Pride & Passion          121         KW K125             Copy Southbound Bruce Gunter
• Industry Pride & Passion          372         KW K104            Matt Lee Excavations
• Great Eight                                   095         KW Legend       Drain Transport
• Great Eight                                   310         KW T909           Airlie Beach Hotel
• Great Eight                                   597         KW T900           Imy Deen
• Great Eight                                   504         KW T900           Lawrence Transport
• Great Eight                                   578         KW T950            Grain Trans
• Great Eight                                   542         KW T909            Durkin Trans
• Great Eight                                   236         Peterbilt              Maddox Haulage
• Great Eight                                   532         KW T909            SRV Road Freight
• Sensational Six                            506         Mack S/Liner     Eric Ballard
• Sensational Six                            226         Mack Titan          Lindon Pastoral
• Sensational Six                            515         KW T900              Lawrence Transport
• Sensational Six                            582         Mack 100yr         Milko
• Sensational Six                            469        KW K200              TK Reiner
• Sensational Six                            556         W/Star                  Land Transport
• Top Owner Driver                       228         KW T909             Hinds Haulage
• Exceptional Company Display                                                 Bond Woods Transport
• Exceptional Company Display                                                 Carways
• Exceptional Company Display                                                 Bloomers Transport
• Best Original / Trad paint         33            KW T600             Cleveland Transport
• Best Custom Paint                       398         KW T909            STA
• Best Line & Scrolls                      540         KW W900          Causley Transport
• Best Airbrush & Artwork           375         KW T904              D & J Johnson Transport
• Best Paint Scheme                      596         KW T950              Imy Deen
• Judged Elite                                 014         KW T900              DC Campbell
• Judged Elite                                 576         KW T900              Graintrans
• Judged Elite                                 285         KW C509             TDH
• Judged Elite                                 138         KW T950              BT Civil
• Judged Elite                                 382         KW T950             Ballinger Transport
• Best Fleet                                                                                     Lawrence Transport
• Best Fleet                                                                                     Winston Express
• Best Fleet                                                                                     VE Group
• Show Truck Champions           327         Mack S/Liner        Robinsons Heavy Haulage
• Show Truck Champions           495         Mack S/Liner        HHA
• Show Truck Champions           223         KW T909               Nigmel Pty
• Show Truck Champions           514         KW T909                Lawrence Transport
• Show Truck Champions           075         KW K200               Schaeffer Transport
• The Tiny Lollback Rig of the Show      162   KW K200       A & J Salter