Henry and Carol Zielke
Henry Zielke known as ‘H’ or ‘Big Fella’ was born in Bundaberg QLD in October 1956 and Carol, aka Curlie, was born in Rockhampton QLD in July 1962. Henry’s passion started early, which was not surprising as he was born into a family steeped in transport history. Henry’s grandfather was carting goods from Clermont to Tambo, QLD, by horse and wagon in the 1920s and his father hauled freight from Alice Springs to Darwin from 1949. Henry was more interested in the trucks going through town than his schoolwork, so he left school at 14 to pursue the life that was calling him.
In 1974 Henry began his first truck driving job which was delivering caravans from Mt Isa to Darwin after the devastation caused by Cyclone Tracy. In 1979 Henry and Carol bought their first truck, an International ACCO and began hauling for QRX. In 1980 they added a Kenworth SAR, later subcontracting for Heggie’s. In 1984 they secured the Yarrabee Mine coal contract for 22 years. Their haulage operation expanded to include Jellinbah Mine (1989) and Cook Colliery (1988) where Henry was faced with the challenge of tipping into a hopper so Henry designed the split-bin side tipper. It was at BMA Blackwater in 1994 where Henry introduced the Kenworth “Big Foot,” purpose-built for steep 10% inclines.
During his thirty years in the industry, of which 27 were based in Blackwater, Henry operated 62 Kenworths, of which the majority were fitted with tippers. As well as the mine work Henry hauled aggregates from Springsure quarry to Main Roads Site, Scherger Air Base Weipa, coal ports and laid pipeline.
At their peak, Henry and Carol operated up to seven contracts at once, servicing projects across Central Queensland, while meeting the growing demands of the coal industry of Yarrabee and Jellinbah mines, hauling approximately 3 mtpa (million tonnes per annum).
It was in 2006 that they started their ROPS manufacturing business for various trucks, machinery and vehicles, with Henry’s flagship design, the iconic T-Bar ROPS for Kenworths. In 2011 Henry and Carol stepped back from transport but to this day Henry remains hands on repairing trucks/trailers, while restoring the first two new trucks which they bought, a 1985 Kenworth SAR ‘The President’ and a 1986 Kenworth W Model ‘The First Lady’.
Henry was not just a driver, owner and boss, he created solutions for better and more efficient equipment for bigger loads. Henry used his Kenworth C-500 Tri-drives and Quad Axle side-tippers pulling 180tonne triple combinations before anyone dared to try it. If it didn’t exist, Henry built it. If it didn’t work, Henry would fix it. This ‘Bush Engineer’ possesses a rare ability to imagine, design, fabricate and implement technical solutions with nothing more than simple tools and sharp ingenuity.
Many of Henry’s tipper designs and ideas were sketched on paper, from the original Split bin side-tippers to the 80tonne payload quad axle side-tippers. He consulted Graham from Shepherd Trailers (STE) who engineered his ideas into reality. Many of these side-tippers are still in use today. Many Australian manufactures and transport operators unknowingly benefited from his improvements and innovations leading to more efficient equipment, tested in harsh mining conditions.
Henry and Carol built a true family business with Carol in the office/workshop for the daily running of the business, while Henry was busy running the workshop and driving trucks all the while scheming innovative ideas. Henry once said, “If it was easy, they would all be doing it.”
Henry and Carol are now traveling the roads they helped build in their F350 & Fifth Wheeler. Henry is a man whose word is his bond, and whose handshake represents his unwavering commitment. Their pioneering spirit, entrepreneurial achievements, engineering talent, and community values make them highly deserving of formal recognition. They are not only respected business figures but also role models for dedication, hard work, and innovation.
