A crowd of 300 people and 11 trucks gathered at Epping Forest Roadhouse in Tasmania recently to pay tribute to fallen truckies.
- Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive the latest news and classifieds from Australia’s transport industry.
- Don’t miss a second and subscribe to our monthly Deals on Wheels magazine.
- Sell your truck with Australia’s #1 truck classifieds
A memorial service was held for friends and family of the deceased, with 16 names added to the Tassie Truckies Memorial Wall.
Jonathan Price, president of the organising committee for the memorial, tells Deals on Wheels that the event went well and provided a much-needed opportunity to remember drivers who have passed away from natural causes or accidents.
“We have a lot of regulars that have been coming since the first memorial service 11 years ago,” he says.
“Eric Abetz from the Tasmanian government was our guest speaker.
“The atmosphere is emotional during the service but people enjoy the day too, we have a bit of music and people can catch up.”
Jonathan, who is a truck driver himself, got involved in the memorial committee after a family member passed away and was added to the wall.
“When the wall was first started, the idea was that it was a place people could go to remember their loved ones who were in the transport industry,” he says.
“A lot of people get cremated and their families have nowhere to go to pay their respects each year.
“It was inspired by events happening on the mainland, like the White Hill Truck Drivers’ Memorial and Tarcutta.
“We thought it would be a good thing to bring to Tasmania.”
The Tassie Truckies Memorial honours truck drivers from all over the state who have passed away, with 217 names now on the wall.
“I opened my speech with ‘It’s good to see everyone here,’ and in one way it was, but in another way it’s not,” Jonathan says.
“It’s very important to remember truck drivers, but it’s sad to see how fast the wall is filling up.”
Julie Wise, Secretary of the Tasmanian Truck Owners and Operators Association, said the day was a special opportunity for people to catch up and pay tribute to loved ones.
“It’s a lovely day to have a chat about people you’re missing, and the words spoken at the memorial were very reflective and touching,” she adds.
If you would like the name of a loved one added to the wall, get in touch with Tassie Truckies Memorial Wall on Facebook and they will send you an application form.
Names added to the wall:
David M Oates
Des Oates
T A “Terry” Hyland
Jamie “Meddy” Medhurst
Merv “Kergan” Direen
Lindsay “Dobby” Dobson
Geoffrey John “GJ” Finan
Brent “BJ” Jones
Desmond “Des” Scott
Barry Bell
Gregory “Greg” “Dreamy” Direen
Bevan “Growler” Boxhall
Theodore “Theo” Gray
Barry “Grunter” Barker
Malcolm Francis “Black Mal” Collins
Kenneth Brian “Kookaburra” “Rat” Simmons
Read more:
- Looking back at the 2024 Truck of the Show Winners
- Team Transport rolls in fleet of rigs to Brisbane Convoy
- Freightmore Transport expands its footprint
- Goulburn Convoy for Kids raises over $90,000 for kids in need
- A look back at the Mount Gambier Truck Show
Check out the Deals on Wheels Facebook here.