Icons of the road from top left. Craig Congram from Finley in New South Wales, Curley Cattle Transport’s Graham ‘Binky’ Simpson, former Normanton transporter Charlie Hudson and Quilpie’s Tim Welk.

FROM a Gulf trucking pioneer, to a “mechanised swaggy” from the Riverina – the icons of the road award has been aiming to preserve the rich history of Australia’s livestock transport industry.

The Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association has now recognised four icons of the road – which included the addition of Camrandale Transport’s Tim Welk (see today’s other story) and Craig Congram from the Finley in New South Wales this year.

Frasers Livestock Transport Central Qld manager and ALRTA executive/LRTAQ Central Qld delegate Athol Carter said the main aim of the awards was to document the history that has shaped the livestock transport industry of today.

“There’s plenty of people that get awards and get celebrated and things like that, but there’s also a vast majority of people who we don’t actually recognise or celebrate their success.

“So basically, we decided we need to get these stories now before they’re lost and celebrate some of these people and the pioneers of the industry.”

“More often than not, we talk about and say we want to do things but all of a sudden it’s too late. With the Australian livestock transport industry, there’s absolutely some icons out there – men and women from all from all facets in the business, that have made our industry so great and what it is today.”

Four icons of the road

Graham “Binky” Simpson

North-West Queensland trucking veteran Graham “Binky” Simpson was the inaugural icon of the road recognised by the ALRTA. Mr Simpson started learning to drive at five-years-old, doing the mail and cattle run between Gilliat and McKinlay.

He went on the work Kiernan Tipping, Alford Cattle Transport, Road Trains of Australia, IFE Bulk Transport Solutions and onto Curley Cattle Transport – where he still helps maintain the company’s fleet.

Lionel (Charlie) Hudson

The second icon was based even further north than the first. Charlie Hudson is widely regarded as a pioneer of the livestock transport industry in the Gulf of Carpentaria, running the Hudson Transport business out of Normanton for 27 years.

Mr Hudson’s impact has been reflected in this year’s Top 25 Livestock Transporters feature, with the Charlie Hawkins who came in at No 9 starting his career with Hudson’s and Curley Cattle Transport (No 3) buying out the company.

Tim Welk

Quilpie-based Tim Welk was recognised for his decades traversing the channel country on roads “most have forgotten” – learning to drive as a young boy in Windorah and getting is heavy vehicle license at 17-years-old.

Mr Welk is best known as the owner of Camrandale Transport, which he has built up over the past 20 years to eight Kenworth prime movers. This week he finalised the sale of Camrandale to Martin’s.

Craig Congram

Craig Congram from Finley in NSW is the fourth icon of the road, moving west from the outer suburbs of Melbourne to try his hand at farming before entering the livestock transport industry.

The “mechanised swaggy” has been a member of the industry association over the past three decades – pushing for better infrastructure and access.

Mr Congram spoke to Beef Central about livestock transporting issues at this year’s ALRTA conference in Canberra:

Call for more nominations

Mr Carter said he was keen to see more nominations for the award.

“Qld is the biggest cattle state in Australia and certainly one of the original for livestock road trains, there’s a lot of heritage there over many decades,” he said.

“There are icons in every state as well.”

With the main idea being about recognising people who have not had a lot recognition for their contributions, Mr Carter said the nominations can remain discreet from the icon and their family.

“The last couple we’ve done have just been absolutely overwhelmed and had no idea that they were going to get this recognition,” he said.

“There’s nothing attached to this other than recognition and celebration among your peers, a small gift and something to post on your wall to celebrate it home.

“We encourage anyone in any state to get involved and nominate someone in the Australian livestock and rural transport industry that has a great story.”

Click here to return to Top 25 Transporters feature, or click here to return to the table of Top 25 entries.