Carl Douglas

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at ReUnion 2012.

Carl (Kojac) Douglas, 84 years old in 2012, bought his first truck in 1952. It was a secondhand Bedford tray truck which he bought for £150. With it he carted potatoes from Koo Wee Rup to Melbourne. He had just been married and yet to start a family which eventually consisted of four children. When he was driving he was known as 'Kojac' or 'Harry Crane'.

Kojac was an owner driver for over 40 years and was the sole breadwinner. The depot for the business, CJ Douglas, was in Melbourne but Carl travelled most roads and tracks in his old International and semi. He carted to the Kununarra dam site for 18 months and was one of the first to do this. On his journeys many friendships were made and he helped many indigenous communities. He was one of the few drivers allowed into the Arnhem Land area in the 1960s when he was carting drilling machinery for WL Slide. 

As the type of man who would give away the shirt off his back, Kojac made many friends and this he considers as one of the best things about being a truckieThe early truckies would always help each other whether they had the time or not. 

Over the years all his friends have laughed at his stories, which would be frowned upon today. Carl Douglas' face lights up when he chats about the challenges he faced, the people he met and the antics of his trucking mates. He believes these tales, tall but true, should be remembered as they will never be relived.