Gary Brookes

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at ReUnion 2005.

Gary Brookes was the founder of Brookes Transport Company in Dardanup, WA. He purchased his first truck, a second-hand 1418 Benz and a 36' semi trailer in 1977 to subcontract to All-Trans.  He hauled the  first loads of board out of Wesfi's newly established particle board factory in Dardanup.

The family is proud that after  more than thirty years,  Brooks Transport are still Wesfi's  prime contractors and that they are still  using the original  Kenworths.The level of service that Gary offered his customers was second to none, resulting in Wesfi offering him a logging contract to maintain the regular supply of logs for their chipping production. Brookes Transport has subsequently gone on to become a major player in the Western Australian timber industry. Garry Brooks was an innovator. 

In 1987 after many months of arguing with the Main Roads Department, he was successful in being the first to use B-train flat tops in the West. He was the first to run a 21 metre B-train across Australia, going from Dardanup (WA) to Windsor (NSW).  He then  went on to build  WA's first logging B-trains for work within his fast-expanding logging division, which by now included static and mobile chippers.Gary was first again with his B-train tankers used for methanol and strain tippers and for cartage of  bulk urea.  As a newcomer to livestock transport, he revolutionised sheep transport when he built the first ever 23 metre B-double, 4-deck sheep carrier, which could carry between 750 and 800 sheep with a run through between trailers.Garry was unconditionally proud of  his industry to the end. He restored and built a fully operational steam-powered sawmill, run by an 1896 Marshall engine, and a replica mill settlement at Dardanup Heritage Park.