Jeff Gilbert, born in Mount Barker on 17th December, 1950, being the son of one of the owners of Gilbert's Transport Service (Jack Gilbert) of Echunga, grew up in a transport associated environment. Jack, his brother Ron and sisters Esme and Joan, took over from their father, Caleb, who drove horse and wagons from Echunga to Adelaide, over a two day round trip.
In 1977 Jeff joined the business which consisted of an International Transtar-slim-line prime mover, Acco tray top and a Leyland Hippo semi.
In 1978 Jeff bought a Mack "Flintstone" and semi-trailer and carried general freight from Adelaide to Wudinna on Eyre Peninsula.
In 1979 Jeff, in Melbourne finding it hard to get a load back to Adelaide, took a load to Darwin, the start of a 38 year business carting between Adelaide and Melbourne to the Northern Territory.
Jeff operated as an owner-driver for the first few years, between Adelaide and Darwin, and also Peko mines in Tennant Creek. He started pulling road trains, and in 1979 bought a new Mack R600, and in 1980 a Mack Superliner.
The unsealed road on the 600 miles between Pt Augusta and Kulgera, on the NT border was often closed due to heavy rains. Sometimes 12 - 14 punctures over 1 trip.
By now he had a contract to cart feed pellets from Kapunda to feed the cattle on the boats exporting out of Darwin, Wyndam and Karumba.
In 1980 he met Beverly Schultz, a Canadian backpacker wanting to travel to Darwin via road-train, this was the start of a long relationship. Married in 1989 they have 3 daughters.
1980's they started carting bore casing and mining freight to Moomba gas fields in remote SA, and Jackson Oil fields in Qld.
Jeff took over the operations of the business in 1982, which was now mainly the export cattle pellets.
Around 1990 the road was sealed and they were running 6 road-trains, mainly Mack Superliners with 500h.p. engines and 12 speed transitions.
One of the first companies to have permits to pull triple road-trains from Port Augusta to Darwin, they strived to provide a reliable, honest service, valuing clients and staff.
Late 1990's, trading as Jeff Gilbert Transport, business slowly grew, early 2000's they ran 11 triple road-trains between Adelaide and Darwin, employing around 25 staff and competing against the big national companies.
Completion of the rail links between Alice Springs and Darwin in 1994 gave their competitors an edge. The business was downsized and eventually sold in 2006, to concentrate on forming business in the Adelaide Hills and spending more time with their daughters.
Jeff's wife Beverly had won her fight with breast cancer when in 2011 was diagnosed with Leukaemia, and passed away in early February 2013. Beverly had always spent a lot of time helping Jeff, driving, loading and unloading.
Jeff still does some part-time driving for local farmers.
