Terrence “Chubby” Bairstow

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 2021.

Terrence Eric Bairstow, nicknamed “Chubby”, was born in Dumbleyung, Western Australia, in 1942. Married to Maree for the past 49 years, they have raised five children. 

Terry grew up on the family farm and after leaving school started shearing and sharecropping. When the farm was sold in 1970, he decided to have a go at trucking.

He purchased his first truck, a petrol Acco, and did a few trips up north but the roads were terrible, the heat was unbearable and without an air conditioner or sleeper cab, it was very hard work. On one of these trips Terry had five punctures as he had only been able to afford second hand tyres. Seeing a dam with water Terry jumped in, clothes and all, and by the time he got back to the truck, his clothes were dry.

In 1972 Terry traded in his Acco for a second hand M.A.N. which turned out to be a lemon. A couple of years later he bought a G88 Volvo to cart sheep. Terry had a particularly good run out of this truck and went on to run three trucks and employ a local driver. Terry also carted Western Australian made Pederick Root Rakes over to Queensland and he would take one of his kids on these trips as they grew older. When they were old enough, Terry’s older sons started driving for him. Some jobs took him all the way around Australia which Terry regarded as a working holiday as he really enjoyed seeing the country. In the 1990’s Terry ventured into grain carting and more bulk work which meant he had to spend more time in the office. His second daughter, who also gained her truck licence, then stepped in to run the office for Terry so he could start driving again.

In 2012 Terry bought back part of the original family farm and began cropping 800 acres which he harvested and carted to Bunbury Port. In 2019, Terry joined a convoy delivering hay to farmers over East and in February 2020 Terry carted lime for a couple months. 

Terry has owned his present truck since 2007 and it has clocked up 1.2 million kilometres.  It will likely be his last truck but while his health holds up, Terry will keep on trucking.