Noel Mills
Noel Mills was born into a proud transport legacy, his grandfather Archibald founded A.J. Mills & Sons in 1924, and his father, Wilfred ‘Mick’ Mills, took over in 1934 to grow the business through decades of change and expansion. By May 1961, a 15-year-old Noel had left school and officially joined the company. He started at the Murwillumbah railhead, loading and unloading freight from both trucks and trains, eager to earn his place in the family business.
From a young age, Noel lived and breathed transport. He would often ride along with drivers to Brisbane, helping load and reload freight at the company’s Alice Street Depot and Bowen Hills Depots, only to return late at night and be up again early the next morning. His passion for the industry was obvious and unwavering, it stayed with him for life.
In 1965, with a young wife and growing family, Noel moved to Lismore to run and manage the local depot. At just 20 years of age, he became a regional leader, responsible not only for operations but for building customer relationships and guiding the business into new markets. By 1968, a new head office and depot were constructed in Union Street, South Lismore - signalling a new chapter in Mills Transport history.
Noel was known as a skilled and respected driver - especially with the Roadranger gearbox. Drivers young and old looked up to him, and he became the go-to mentor in the Lismore operation. He expanded services into Sydney and Newcastle, carting timber, Colgate-Palmolive, and UDL freight south, and returning north with Brisbane bound goods. In 1974, he introduced the first Kenworth truck into the fleet, sourced from Brown & Hurley in Kyogle, and started the company's dedicated interstate freight division.
Over the following two decades, Noel helped expand operations westward, bringing grain in from Inverell and Moree for Norco and others. He was known for never sending a truck out empty, his operational focus ensured maximum efficiency across every route. The sight of Mills Transport’s green and white Kenworths became a common sight along the highways of New South Wales and Queensland.
Noel’s greatest pride, however, came from seeing the business remain a true family company. In the 1980s, his sons Peter and Stephen joined the business, giving Noel the rare opportunity to work with four generations of the Mills family, something he cherished deeply. He retired in May 1995 after 34 years of service, having helped shape the company into one of Australia’s most respected regional freight carriers.
Noel led by example. He never asked a driver to do something he wouldn’t do himself, and his determination, loyalty, and quiet capability left a lasting mark not only on the business, but on everyone who worked alongside him.
