Maralyn Bierwirth
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 2018.
Maralyn Bierthwirth was born in Melbourne in 1945,amd it's no surprise she ended up in the transport industry. She has spent her entire childhood around trucks. The late Don Bierwirth was a general carrier and later operated a Earthmoving business at Penola, South East of SA. Maralyn was her Dad's side kick as in her late teen years often helped him by driving a tip truck.
Married in 1969, her husband returned to interstate truck driving carting stock in 1976, in the 80,s they purchased two primemovers a Kenworth carting stock for Peachers, Victoria and a Western Star towing for WA freightliners. Occasionally driving, keeping the books was her job.
The marriage broke down 1992 and Maralyn started a new life with John (Latham) in 1993 who had 18 years driving roadtrains to NT & WA and single to Sydney.
After years sneaking thousands of miles in The Chair John decided in '95 that Maraiyn got licensed and drove legally.
John employed at Devito Transport at Wailkerie in 1993 running Perth and Sydney markets Cossy allowed Maralyn to learn in his truck and she got licensed in 1995 , Maralyn's first paid driving position was with Devito.
Maralyn started as a two up team with John for WRB in 1997 running roadtrains to Perth, double & triple to Darwin when WRB won the mail contract for N.T until end of 1999.
In 2000 started with Jeff Gilbert two-up running Aderlaide-Darwin-Kununarra, until April 2006 when Jeff sold the business.
In 2006 technically employed by ABC, Maralyn was poached with her partner by Bob Moore at NTFS to run the territory, Maralyn remained employed with NTFS till mid 2014. She so loved her job, no holidays, trucking was her life.
During one Adelaide-Darwin-Kununarra trip, Maralyn after taking out an eagle at Marla and a Brolga west of Timber creek completed the trip with no mirrors!
When needed Maralyn in her 60's would be seen with a triple on the Aderlaide-Derwin road doing a trip on her own.
Maralyn's career has seen her drive a variety of trucks including Ford, Mack, Kenworth. Western Star and Iveco.
Mostly multi-trailer combinations on all types of roads and conditions and in some of the most isolated parts of the country.
Maralyn was forced to retire with a damaged spine from a fall at work mid 2014, in 2016 was diagnosed with incurable Multriple Myeloma.