Gary Hayes
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 2023.
Gary William Hayes, better known as ‘Stack’ was born in December 1954 in Cronulla, New South Wales. His nickname was given to him by his best mate Neville McCoy, as he always had large stacks on his trucks!
When Gary was 17 years old, he had had enough of being a green keeper and went and obtained his truck license, he’s never looked back! He bought his first truck in 1971 which was a Hino. Gary started driving for Corkhill Bros in Fyshwick, Australian Capital Territory, where he stayed for around eight to nine years.
From there, Gary went to TNT carting locally for Woolies, he drove a D series Ford then a cab over Kenworth in the famous peach and cream colors for about six years. Gary then purchased a green Kenworth SAR 76 which was an ex-Quickasair, ‘100 mile an hour truck’ (or so he told his daughter). He was there another three years before moving to Readymix where he bought an ex-Finemores 82 Kenworth, it was pink and he also had a pink Volvo as well.
After this time, Gary painted the pink Kenworth red and went out on his own, he freelanced for Jeff Schmidt and Canberra Sand and Gravel. Gary decided to put a bunk on that truck and headed out west to Nyngan, Narromine and Parkes in New South Wales before heading up to St George in Queensland to cart grain. He did this for several seasons before selling the truck and going to work for Region Refrigeration Transport in Hume where he worked both locally and in the south coast areas.
Gary then bought into One Steel in Hume, Australian Capital Territory. He had an N-series Volvo and a rigid UD, which he worked for around 8 years before purchasing a Kenworth SAR 87 from One Steel. From about 1989 Gary did extended, oversized and semi-tipper work, then went to a rigid with dog.
Some of Gary’s fondest memories are of taking his father for trips in the D series Ford over to Young, New South Wales and cruising the highways with his best mate Neville (R.I.P.).
Gary has had a love of trucks from a young age and has always maintained and looked after them himself. He is still working his truck as much as he can, he has attempted to retire but he just can’t bring himself to do it.
