Robert “Robbie” Dixon

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

Robert (Robbie) Dixon was destined to be a truckie, just like his dad Robert. Growing up, Robbie accompanied his dad on many trips interstate. As a teenager he was an extremely gifted athlete, representing the Diamond Creek Technical School in the Victorian Titles for athletics, he also excelled at both football and cricket. Aged 17, Robbie tried out for the Collingwood Under 19 team and the club officials were extremely impressed with his natural ability but his first love was trucking.

Robbie purchased his first truck at 19, a GMC with an 8V53 Detroit diesel. He repowered it with a Cummins 903 and painted the truck black and silver. Robbie was carting out of McCain's in Ballarat. 18 months later he traded it for a brand new International S-Line named Captain Chaos and put it to work towing a refrigerated van for Garden City running between Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane. That was replaced by an ex-Iannelli's Kenworth that became Robbie's pride and joy. The motor was replaced with an 8V92 purchased from Freestones Racing and the truck was named Thunder struck, it drove like it had been hit by lightning and sounded like thunder.

Robbie spent his entire life in and around the trucking industry. He built up an enormous amount of experience in many branches of the industry including fridge work, express, local, interstate, stock feed, tippers and roadtrains. Not only an owner operator, Robbie worked as a driver for Scoresby Transport and MMV Transport to name a few.

Robbie had been running Shepparton to Melbourne return for nearly three years, enjoying regular hours and extra time at home. In 2013 he suffered a short illness that forced him to slow down and rest-up for several months, keeping him from his love of driving. Robbie took it all on the chin and was looking forward to returning to work when he suddenly passed away on the 7th of November 2013, leaving behind his long term loving partner Gayle.

Driving trucks was Robbie's greatest passion and he is still very much missed and was extremely loved by those who were lucky enough to know him.