Edward “Norm” Cockburn

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 2022.

Edward Norman Cockburn, better known as “Norm”, was born in Beaudesert, Queensland in 1944. It was also the town where he married his wife, Lyn, in 1975.

Norm started work with the local council in 1972, driving a front-end loader for a rock crusher which developed his passion for heavy machinery. This interest led Norm to doing weekend rounds for Lahey and Walker, driving an International AB 180 milk tanker to collect milk from local dairy farms. Mandatory taste testing of the milk before loading was the worst part of the job according to Norm as he hated milk!

In 1978 Norm purchased his own R700 Mack (it had no sleeper) and began sub-contracting for Beaudesert company, Summerland Frozen Freight, carting butter to Bendigo in Victoria. In 1982 he bought a Mack Superliner, built to his own specifications, along with a fridge van after which he purchased a Mack Econodyne R600 to join his fleet. Norm employed two drivers and his three trucks, all singles, continued to work with Summerland Frozen Freight.

In 1987 Norm partnered with truck operator, John Donavan from Brisbane, carting refrigerated freight to all capital cities, particularly Brisbane to Darwin; this is when Norm developed his love of road trains.  In 1993, John Donavan was bought out by Northern Territory Freight Services. Norm then started subbying for the company, using his Superliner to pull their refrigerated trailers from Brisbane to Alice Springs and to Darwin until the early 2000’s.

Norm then moved onto working with Landsborough Logistics, based in Rocklea, Queensland.  Norm always took great care with his loads, ensuring that customers were satisfied with the job he did. An example of how seriously he took this was demonstrated when a trainee forklift driver was unloading a cargo of beer and speared a carton of beer with the forks. Norm was not going to let this ruin his reputation so he quickly slipped down to the local pub and purchased a carton to replace the damaged one!

Next, Norm subbied for Beaudesert firm, Farmers Transport, carting cotton bales and cotton seed as well as doing some tipper work across the bottom of Queensland and into northern New South Wales.  Norm then spent some seven years sub-contracted to Dennis Taylor of Brisbane. This work was very specialised, carting Queensland Rail and Pacific National rolling stock and wagons for coal mining throughout Queensland. Once that contract finished, Norm went on to cart general freight for Beaudesert’s Couttsy's Haulage in 2011, using all his own equipment.

In December 2011, Norm pulled up just some five kilometres from his home to ensure his newly loaded freight was secure as was his usual professional practice. Sadly, it was to be the very last time he did this, as an incident on the roadside led to his passing within days.

Norm was regarded as a very professional driver having driven over five million kilometres without any accident.  He was best known for “getting the job done” and loved driving his pride and joy, the Mack Superliner.