Ernie Daly

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at ReUnion 2006

Ernest Daly was a quiet achiever in the road transport industry for many years.  His whole life has been devoted to trucks giving him many colourful and life-threatening experiences.  He was born in September 1924 into a family who were involved in transport.When he was a young lad he would ride with his father on their horse teams that were used for carrying goods around the suburbs of Melbourne.

His very first driving lesson turned into his first truck accident when he collided with an oncoming tram.  At the age of 12 Ernie had his first job driving a horse team working for Hoffmans Brick Works carting bricks.  He quickly progressed to Chevrolet tip trucks where he worked for the Melbourne and Metro Tram Board.  During WWII Ernie drove tip trucks for the Australia Army.
Hector Dodd sold him his first truck.  He then worked for Yellow Express Carriers where he stayed for seven years doing long-haul driving all over Australia.  In 1971 Ernie went into partnership with Peter Benton so he could branch out on his own instead of subcontracting.  Ernie operated the trucking business from his home in Bayswater.
Ernie supplied trucks carting equipment to various venues for overseas 'pop groups' who visited Australia on tour.  But after several years of operating Ernie and his partner has different ideas about the direction of the company which could not be resolved.  Subsequently, in 1986, the company was sold to a third party and Ernie relocated to Queensland where he bought out a small freight company in Rochlea.  Ernie continued driving trucks until 1990 when he decided to retire at the age of 65.
Ernie's love for all things to do with trucks and road transport generally led him to set up the Australian National Truck Drag Racing Association in 1977 with Frank Gaferio.  Frank was another truck driver who had a business in Brisbane and who is still involved in truck drad racing.  They used working trucks that towed loads from Queensland to Melbourne on week days and then, on the weekends they'd unhook their load and drag race their trucks at the International Raceway at Surfers Paradise.