Simon Metcalf

Simon Metcalf was born in 1949 in Llandrindod Wells, Central

Wales, where his parents had a mixed farm. He immigrated to

Australia at just 17 years of age and worked on a small farm

near Barmedman in New South Wales unti l he saved enough to

move to Western Australia aft er nine months.

Simon’s fi rst job in the west was in Esperance working on a

land development project before changing to a local transport

company. He drove for Mallee Town Transport carti ng stock

locally and to Perth in a C1800 (Butt er Box) Internati onal ACCO.

Aft er eighteen months and a move to Perth Simon became an

owner driver carti ng single men’s quarters to Paraburdoo in

the North West. Simon then met his wife Rita, who was on a

working holiday in Perth. The rough roads destroyed the Ford

D1000, so they moved to Rita’s home town Adelaide.

Simon then had a variety of driving jobs including in an AEC

Mandator sub-contracti ng for Kennelly’s Transport to the West

with rail lines made in Castlemaine. This was followed by a job

carti ng furniture to Perth for Diggers Removals in a Commer

Knocker, doing local semi ti pper work in an ERF and interstate

carti ng wine in a 1418 Mercedes Benz. Aft er getti ng married

in 1973 Simon took a job with P & K Good, driving Adelaide to

Melbourne in a 1418s and later a Kenworth with 8V71 Detroit.

Simon did two sti nts with P & K Good followed by another

owner driver spell carti ng wine to Sydney and steel back from

Newcastle. The year 1980 was the start of four and a half years

with Straits Haulage doing east coast to Perth mostly in a V8 Cat

powered Kenworth. This was followed by another four and a

half years driving for Collins towing Kwikasair trailers to Darwin

usually in a W Model T650 or T600 Kenworths.

Aft er moving to Tasmania for a couple of years, Simon returned

to the mainland to drive a W Model towing a TNT fridge

van Australia wide. When the W Model was sold he drove a

roadtrain with fridges running from Adelaide to Perth in a

Transtar. In September 1993 Simon started working for Toll

Linehaul where he sti ll works today.