Stephen Gleisner
Stephen Gleisner, the son of Norma and Kenneth (2010 inductee) was born in 1961 in Maryborough, Victoria. Stephen is the second generation of the Gleisner family to own and run Avoca Transport, having taken over from his father in 2001.
As a child, Stephen’s most loved activity was riding in the truck with either his father or uncle, transporting livestock. When he was in secondary school, Stephen liked to play truant and catch a ride with a local driver in a Commer Knocker on a run from Maryborough to Castlemaine and back. He thought this was a good way to spend the day.
Stephen left school to start an electrical apprenticeship, but at the age of 17 the call of the road came and he commenced working under his father and uncle in the family’s transport business.
Stephen obtained his truck licence at an early age and was soon travelling across the country. At 19 years of age and driving his 66 Peterbilt prime mover, he was often dismissed as not being the driver of such a rare truck. As he drove off he would often see looks of shock and awe in the mirrors.
Throughout the years Stephen has transported various freight across the country, from livestock and culverts, to grain and fertilizer. Over the course of his 40 years in the industry, Stephen has owned and driven various models of trucks such as a 71 Leyland Mastiff, Mack, Peterbilt, and International to name but a few. Stephen has recently purchased a truck and dog combination transporting road base and blue metal crusher rock for a rail service that is being upgraded.
He and his wife, Tracy, also run a sand and soil depot, supplying the local area with the finest quality sand and soil in the region. Stephen is often seen on his days off delivering sand and soil to the local community in his Ford Trader tipper.
In his spare time Stephen enjoys travelling to truck shows in his pride and joy, a restored Mack B61 B61, or to car shows in his 1966 VC valiant.
Inducted in 2021
