Ted Crawley

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2015.

Born in Gloucester 1938, Ted (Bear) Crawley was destined for a life full of trucks, grease and machinery. Teds father Max drove an ex-army NR Mack, hauling logs to the local mines whilst his grandfather supplied goods to the locals by horse and cart.

At 15 Ted left school and entered the work force trying jobs including wood cutting and hardware deliveries. Ted spent three years with Campbell Engineering and occasionally filled in for the odd milk run.

At 20 years old, Ted purchased his first truck, a 1958 Morris to cart milk cans but after some time decided it was too small so he purchased a 1960 model 771 series Dodge.

With the introduction of milk tankers, Ted was made redundant, so decided to try his hand at logging. This ultimately led to Ted purchasing a new 775 series Dodge and single axle log trailer. As business grew, so did Ted's collection of trucks, purchasing Dodges and Fords for delivery to Sydney and Newcastle for Allen Taylor Timbers, including deliveries of supplies for the construction of the Sydney Opera House.

In 1970 Ted purchased a new D series single drive Ford which he sub-contracted out to Brambles for the Sydney to Brisbane run. Five years later Ted traded in the Ford for a new FV 103 Dodge Fuso which he sub-contracted to Warren Brown, hauling from Newcastle, Melbourne, Brisbane and further north returning with produce to the southern markets. The Fuso was used as a trial truck with numerous motor alterations and modifications, leading to its conversion to a VT903 Cummins Road Ranger.

The Fuso was sold in 1987 and Ted left interstate work, purchased a 79 model LNT Louisville and resumed logging from the Barrington Tops and surrounding Gloucester area.

In 2003 Ted returned to interstate hauling where he worked for Tolls of Newcastle, carting to and from Brisbane but soon after made his return back to logging.

Ted retired from transport in 2009 as an owner driver with 50 years of transport experience, a gold licence and a lifetime of memories.