Trevor Perry was born on the 3rd of February 1969. In 1985, Trevor’s
parents shifted to Woomera, South Australia, following an opportunity his father had received to be a house painter for a local maintenance contractor. In 1986, Trevor started with the same company, offsiding a machine
operator.
The business had two concrete trucks and a number of loaders and
backhoes that Trevor learnt how to operate. After a few years, he was
driving the smaller trucks himself, doing local maintenance jobs. He also assisted the mechanic, where he learnt how to maintain the equipment and undertake a range of minor and major repairs.
In 1992, Trevor began working for Brambles Transport at BHP’s Olympic Dam Mine. It was here that he was tasked with delivering supplies and
explosives to the underground operations.
By 1995, Trevor, looking for a change, secured a role with CalArk
International in the United States. After gaining his Commercial Driving Licence, Trevor covered 42 of the American states on his travels. Here, he faced all weather conditions, including snow where he was required to fit chains. He was responsible for hauling combinations up to 70ft through the busy Los Angeles, New York and Chicago traffic.
Returning to Australia in 1996, Trevor took up a role with T.J. Andrews Transport. Delivering timber and landscape supplies to nurseries, farms and schools, Trevor’s experience with heavy equipment, such as loaders and
excavators, proved very handy.
Joining C.K. & B.M. Bowley Transport in 2001, Trevor was hauling grain silo to silo and to farms throughout South Australia. His cartage of bulk Sulphur from Adelaide to Olympic Dam Mine for Linkes Contracting in 2006
introduced Trevor to Rhodes Contracting, where he would spend the next 17 years of his career.
For Rhodes Contracting, now Exact Contracting Services, Trevor was
initially carting bulk cement in pneumatic tanks from Adelaide Brighton to the business’s own Shotcrete batching plant. He would also backload fly ash from the Port Augusta power station. As a heavy haulage driver for
Exact Contracting, Trevor’s role has evolved to involve the mobilisation and demobilisation of machinery and equipment to all of the business’s
operations at mine sites and road construction jobs across SA, the NT and as far as WA, QLD and NSW. Using a float and platform combination to shift machinery, Trevor says there is seldom a dull moment. Whether it be
breakdowns, rough roads and loading in the elements, Trevor has faced it all.
Once he reached 10 years with Exact Contracting, Trevor was gifted a very expensive Rolex watch for his service. He only wears this on special
holidays!
Trevor says the most challenging part of his job is being away from home, his wife Annette and daughter Darci. Although he is away on average 4 weeks at a time, the longest time he has been away from home at any one time has been 9 weeks. However, it is rewarding getting a job done that he is proud to do. Trevor still appreciates all aspects of life in the transport
industry, whether that be a weekly shop if he can get the truck close enough to a supermarket, cooking on the road or showering under the water tap of the float.
Inducted in 2024
