Tim Johnstone
Tim Johnstone was born in 1983 in Launceston, Tasmania, into a family heavily involved with heavy industry, logging machinery and transport. Tim’s early years were spent with his father, uncles and family friends travelling the state with different logging contractors, plant hire and mining operations.
Tim began his career at 15, signing on as a heavy diesel mechanic apprentice. In 2000, seeking broader horizons, Tim joined the Australian Army. There, he requalified under the military’s mechanical syllabus, gaining expertise in heavy plant, truck and armoured equipment to electrical, hydraulic and fuel systems. Tim earnt national gold medal status in Heavy Vehicle Mechanics at the 2004 WorldSkills competition, travelling internationally while still serving defence with the legendary 85 Transport Troop, which operated Heavy Haulage and Road Train Equipment.
Tim received multiple commendations while serving in the Army, including trade, for managing and repairing assets and assisting with equipment allocating.
After leaving the Army in 2008, Tim worked as an O.E.M Propulsion Engineer specialist in the marine industry but the unshakeable transport bug still saw him driving trucks on weekends off and holidays. In 2010, with his son newly born, he returned full-time to transport with GRS Towing, where he wore multiple hats: allocator, driver, client liaison and heavy recovery specialist. After starting his own business, FLG, based in skilled mechanical services, he joined the team at Heavy Haulage Australia as a trailer man operating Goldhofer and various other modular platform trailers.
In 2015, Tim purchased a heavy-rated Kenworth prime mover to complement his business and has since tackled complex heavy haul and oversize jobs across the country.
Throughout the 2010s, Tim contributed to major infrastructure projects around the eastern seaboard, including motorways, airports and energy developments. His most memorable loads include working with massive pre-assembled units for Origin Energy up to 8 metres wide, 6.5m high and weighing 300 tonnes, and squeezing excavators, piling rigs and D10 and D11 bulldozers through the Sydney CBD.
Tim’s reputation for self-sufficiency was forged early in his career during a tough trip across Australia, when constant breakdowns forced him and his team to repair a truck under the Longreach showground grandstand, welding, tuning and repairing engines with the spares on hand.
Tim’s commitment to integrity and relentless pursuit of excellence earned him both a NSW Police Force commendation and Royal Humane Society bravery medal for rescuing children from a crashed, burning car. While travelling on the Hume Highway, the vehicle in front of him spun out of control and collided with fencing, rupturing the fuel tank. Tim rescued three children by himself, returning to the vehicle each time knowing that fuel was pouring everywhere. With the help of a passing motorist, Tim rescued a fourth severely injured child from the car, caring for the children until emergency services arrived.
Through it all, Tim’s greatest achievement remains his family and his three children. Despite the sacrifices, he’s motivated by the opportunity to show them the value of striving for the highest standards, taking pride in doing things well and supporting others.
