Terry Cronin

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 2019.

TERRY CRONIN was born in Angaston in January 1938 where he married his sweetheart Eleanor Taylor in 1965. They have four children Debbie, Karen, Terry and Janine. Terry's father had served in the Royal Australian Air Force meant they moved often. His mother passed away when he was just nine years old. Growing up Terry always wanted to drive trucks, he often drove his sister and brother in laws KB5 International around the farm from a young age.

Once Terry left school he ended up in Sydney driving a 1948 side valve Ford tipper at Lucas Heights where the Nuclear Reactor was being built. He then moved onto Woomera where he operated Leyland Hippos and Thornycrofts for the Commonwealth Government usually driving the Gun Barrel Highway to the Giles Weather Station in Western Australia. Terry then worked for Norris Transport driving Sydney to Perth and Adelaide with Kellogg's Cornflakes. After that he started with Condobre Haulage of Gepps Cross towing freight to Brisbane, Sydney and Perth. It was during this time Terry was asked to drive a lady from Sydney to Adelaide, this lady was Eleanor who went on to become his wife.

Terry later worked for Tinker Smith which sold to Kevin Bunker. He worked there or 20 years. Terry and Eleanor bought three of their own trucks; a White Road Commander and two cab-over Kenworths and operating from Bunkers depot they carried wine to Sydney, the Women's Weekly to Perth and timber from Western Australia to Adelaide. He recalls being stuck at Madura for five weeks with a broken clutch plate and having to get the message through by pedal radio to order parts to be flown from America. After Robinvale Transport Group brought Terry's trucks he began working for Finemores Transport towed one of the first road train car carriers from Adelaide to Darwin for the next 13 years.

Terry received a number of awards throughout his career including life membership from the Australian Transport Workers Union and Accident Free Driving Award including watches, holidays and silverware. After 54 years on the road Terry and Eleanor retired in Port Victoria where, in 2019 you will still find him doing deliveries from family owned Kneebone Transport and spending time with family and friends. He is never short of a truck story to tell from his days on the road.