Harold Closter

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at ReUnion 2004.

Harold Closter started young in the transport industry carting timber around the Mansfield, Mt Margaret area in Victoria. In the early 1950s he started making runs interstate with Brown & Mitchell of Harrow, Victoria.

His next job was with Marins Overland Freighters, driving an extended bonnet WC22 White with a 671 GM, from a General Grant tank, under the bonnet. He carted welding rods from EMF in Carlton and furnace coke from Mt Pleasant primarily but turned his hand at carting anything that had to be moved.He also carted to Mt Isa and Mary K mine in Queensland. During this period Harold drove a cab-over White 3000 fitted with a JT175 Cummins.

After Martins, he took a job driving for Charlie Burmiester from Mascot. He purchased a 180 Inter fitted with a Cummins and worked for Thompsons Transport out of Melbourne and Burmiesters out of Sydney. It was a long hard trek in those days. He then bought a Diamond Reo and carted for the above companies, as well as carting produce from all parts of Australia to Melbourne for Alan Gangelhoff. He also carted fruit for D&E Cameron of Doncaster to interstate markets.In the late 1970s Harold decided to pull the pin on following the white line and try something completely different. He became the manager of the caravan park at Goulburn. He was there for some years when an opportunity arose to purchase a caravan park at Merimbula which was near his home. He took it up.

Harold is still active in the transport industry, carting grain around the Wagga Wagga area for old friends. His main interest, however, is restoring old vehicles.The list of vehicles restored includes a White timber-linker, an LC XU1 Torana and an FJ Holden.