John Hatchman

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 2023.

John ‘Hatchy’ Hatchman, born on Anzac Day 1961 and profoundly deaf, began his long standing love for trucks at the very tender age of 7. It became his full blown passion when he escaped his detested life at school on his 15th birthday. John went to work alongside his dad, Ron Hatchman, in the family trucking business, Hatchman’s Removals in Brisbane. He spent weekends learning to drive the trucks around the Woolstores in Hendra even before he had his licence.

John started off with small local deliveries, and after he gained his licence, progressed to household removals all over Queensland. After a few years, the family business was sold, and John started working for KD Marsh Removals which was in the next depot to Hatchman’s Removals.

In 1984, an opportunity arose to meet Graham and Wally Richers of Richers Transport in Maryborough QLD. John was offered a position with the company, and promptly moved home to Hervey Bay where his family now lived. John started off with general deliveries and over time moved into shuttle runs between Maryborough and Brisbane, and eventually long distance haul which quickly became his trucking true love.

Work continued to truck along, with a procession of new rigs every few years. Often technicians and mechanics would be scratching their heads as to why John’s trucks, when they went in for inspections, servicing or finally were traded in, still ran so well. John had a special sense on how to coax his rig to get the best out of it, without ever being hard on it. Even though he couldn’t always hear the engine noises or sounds the trucks made, he could sense the different tones and vibrations, and always knew exactly what the trouble was or what was needed to keep it on the road and performing.

In November 2015, due his talent and dedication as a truckie John received the honour by being inducted into the Queensland Road Transport Legends Hall of Fame, through nomination by Graham Richers. John was so incredibly humbled and touched that someone else cared so much about what he did every day, that they would choose to acknowledge him in such an incredible way. John would be honoured to be here today to receive this award, however, he passed away in October 2022.