Chris Binks

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 2019.

CHRISTOPHER BINKS (Chris) always said had a memorable introduction to big trucks. It was an introduction that changed his life. While working as a jackaroo at Kyuna, at the ripe old age of 17, he was asked to move a B Model Mack across the yard. Of course, the key start was not an option as many have discovered. After one of the drivers showed him how to start it, he pushed the air start lever.....

"and it was all downhill from there".

He reckons the old B Model would still have the dent in the roof from when he jumped. It couldn't have frightened him, too much. It fuelled his anticipation to master the art of driving a truck.

When Chris returned to Melbourne a little while later his first job in road transport was driving a Five Star Austin on local delivery for McIlwraith's. By the time he was 19 he had started as a semi driver at Kennelly's Melbourne depot where he learned the ropes. He then spent four years as a company driver with short stints at East Coast and Caringbah.

At the age of 24 Chris purchased an ACCO International powered by a 210hp Cummins and 10 Speed Roadranger for $5,000 and went to work for Vaughans as a tow operator. He was with Vaughans for eight years, upgrading to an S2 Kenworth along the way. This was followed with 12 months at TNT Refrigeration.

In 1984 Chris decide it was time for a change of scenery and sold the Kenworth. He started work as a company driver at Brown and Mitchell and next spent eight years with John Carson and later with Lakeline Scoresby then Ballarat Refrigeration for 12 years. He started with Scott Richards 11 years ago where he remains happy "driving good gear for a great boss".