Rodney Burkinshaw

Rodney “Rod” Raymond Burkinshaw was born in Lockhart, NSW on the 20th of June to parents Rita May Burkinshaw and Raymond George Burkinshaw.

Rodney’s parents operated a transport company R G Burkinshaw, located out of Lockhart which owned a variety of trucks carting grain, wool and stock to most states. They were mainly internationals such as AR160, R180, R190 and a small number of European trucks like F12 and G88 Volvos.

At the age of 14, Rod worked and drove around trucks for his dad for several years. He drove a C line international with a Perkin’s engine and later a DCO International with a Cummins engine. At the age of 19, Rod purchased his first 392 v8 petrol C line International.

Rod carted grain from the Riverina and delivered fertilizer back. Wool was also transported from the farms to Melbourne. 

In 1972, Rod married Vicki Margaret Schneider from Osborne, NSW. Two years later they had their first daughter, Rita and a few years later their son Shane was born. Rod and Vicki lived their entire lives in Lockhart.

Later in the 70’s, Rod operated a small fleet of trucks including a G88 Volvo, F700 Mack and a cab- over Kenworth. They carted general freight and subbied for Knights Transport of Kilmore for several years. In 1978, Rod bought his first W Model Kenworth with a 400 Cummins engine and it transported fuel from Melbourne to the Riverina for G. C Cornell Petroleum. A couple of Ford Louisville LNT and a few second-hand Kenworth’s were added to his fleet.  Rod refurbished his trucks and put them back to work. Soon, Rod bought a couple of W models, including Gold nuggets. Rod and his drivers carted flour to Melbourne and Brisbane, plus Bunge flour out of Narrandera Flour Mill and other general freight.

After several years of running trucks, Rod decided to go back to one truck. Rod drove a 3070 Acco from Brisbane to Townsville carting Vinidex pipe. He drove a cab-over Kenworth and Tautliner running Leeton to Brisbane carting rice for Patten’s Transport and back to Sydney for Cubico Transport. He later drove a Freightliner Argosy while still running Brisbane. He sold the Argosy and went to work with his brother at Burkinshaw’s Transport. Rod drove Wagga to Melbourne with Wool, in a Western Star, then an Argosy. His final truck was a Peterbilt 379.

Rod gave 54 years of his life driving trucks, until he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2018. Rod passed away on the 17th of February 2019. Rod is buried alongside his wife Vicki in Lockhart.

Inducted in 2024