Bernard (Bernie) Hemphill
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2014.
Bernard Hemphill was born at Urana, NSW in 1945. Over the years he earned several nicknames: Bundaberg Bernie, Skin and Fearless Leader. He first started driving when he turned 14 in 1959 carting bulk fuel from Wahgunyah Victoria to Urana and surrounding farms with a six cylinder AB petrol tray International fitted with 1200 gallon cross chassis tanks.
In 1972 Bernie purchased the Urana fuel depot and in 1974 purchased an ACCO V8 six cylinder, petrol, 21 foot tray body from WM Johnson, Corowa and began carting wool and bagged grain to Melbourne. He also carted drum fuel, domestic gas cylinders, bagged cement, beer kegs and packaged beer. His next purchase was a two deck sheep crate to suit a tray body for carting cattle and sheep to and from local sales. This was then followed by a C-line International prime mover and 40 foot tri-ax- le trailer and a three deck 40 foot second hand stock crate. Bernie then commenced carting stock throughout NSW, Victoria, SA and Queensland.
In 1979 , with a new T-line International 250 Cummins fitted with a 34 foot White Tippet trailer, he commenced carting bulk fertilizer, grain, clinkers and general produce. In 1980 Bernie contracted to buy grain and store 3000 tonne per year for Bunge Feeds of Corowa which was stored in a shed at Urana. He also got the same contract to cart grain from Urana to Corowa.
In 1982 he moved to Mulwala and purchased a fuel station then in 1983 purchased the Shell fuel depot at Yarrawonga. A new ACCO with a 10,000 rigid barrel was purchased to cart fuel to Urana. Bernie then developed a fuel run around Yarrawonga and local farms. In the mean- time he still carried on his usual grain, stock and general freight trade. In 1984 Bernie purchased new T Line and S Line Internationals. He also expanded the freight side of the business with the purchase of a Mack Value Liner and convertible trailer.
After several years of carting bulk grain, fertilizer, stock and general freight over most of southern Australia Bernie won the delivery contract to cart pelletized pig feed to several Bunge owned piggery complexes. He ceased the stock and general freight contracts at teh same time. In 2000 Bernie sold the Urana fuel depot to concentrate on the pig feed contracts. He was delivering approximately 1000 tonnes of pig pellets to southern New South Wales and Victoria per week. In 2006 he sold the remaining fuel depot in Yarrawonga and set up a truck depot in Mulwala. Today he has a single tipping trailer carting pig feed, fertilizer and grain. Two of his sons are still working in the industry sharing the Mulwala truck yard. Bernie Hemphill has worked long and hard to earn his place in the Wall of Fame.
