Ian Burkinshaw

Ian Daryl Burkinshaw was born on the 6th January 1958, the son of Ray and Rita Burkinshaw from Lockhart NSW. Ray started R G Burkinshaw Transport in 1942, with mainly stock trucks and then moved into general freight and wool cartage. The main route being Lockhart, Sydney and Melbourne.

At the age of 15, Ian started working in the family business helping to load trailers, riding along with Ray and his two brothers. At 18, Ian got his truck licence and started carting sheep and cattle in a rigid tray truck to the sale yards in Wagga Wagga and Wodonga. Ian then started carting bales of wool to Melbourne.

Ian’s first truck was an International AB180, he then moved into an International C1800 with 160 Cummins rigid. When Ian started carting wool, he stepped up into a Volvo G88, he then went into a Volvo F12.

In 1979 Ian was caught up in the Razorback blockade. After four nights of sitting at Kalkallo, Ian had to leave his truck on the side of the highway so that he could make it home in time for his wedding to Debbie.

In 1980, Ian started managing Burkinshaw’s Transport. Carting for Bunge Flour Mills from Narrandera to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and CUB products from Melbourne into Queanbeyan. In the 90’s Burkinshaw’s transport had 12 trucks. Unfortunately, the flour moved from palletised products to bulk and as a result they lost the work. Times were very tough and after struggling to find work for a few years an opportunity arose and the business relocated majority of its operations to Wagga Wagga in 2002.

Burkinshaws Transport has been recognized as a founding member of Natroads.

Today, Ian has a fleet of 10 prime movers and 5 rigids. The business has recently moved towards warehousing in Wagga Wagga to keep up with the continual growth in this area of the transport industry. Ian works alongside his wife Debbie, youngest son Brendan, nephew Shane and grandson Joshua. Ian has always put his heart and soul into the business and even today he still makes the 45-minute drive into Wagga Wagga each day to work at the depot.

Inducted in 2024