Barry Hemphill
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2014.
At the age of 74 Barry Hemphill is still running his own transport business and driving on a full time basis. 2014 makes the 56th year since Barry started driving trucks which makes him one of the longest driving truck drivers in the Riverina. Barry was born in Narrandera in 1940 where his father Ned had operated trucks for the Urana Shire in the 1950s. Barry started driving his father's gravel truck in 1958 when he was 18. In 1959 the Hemphills all moved to Urana and by 19 Barry had saved up enough money to purchase his own Ford gravel truck.
In 1960 Barry bought an R190 International and expanded to service both local farmers and businesses in Urana. Barry would cart everything and anything from grain, wool, sheep and cattle, gypsum, to gravel. If the work needed to be done and something needed to be transported then Barry would do it, often driving seven days a week. For many years he had a regular weekly run to Melbourne returning each Saturday morning with supplies for the whole town from the stock and station agent, to the local shop and pub. In 1966 Barry married a local girl, Frances Fox, who has been by his side for the past 48 years running the financial side of the business single handed. They have been an incredibly successful team for almost 50 years.
Barry's signature white International trucks with red and blue Hemphill markings are well recognized right across Victoria where Barry has done most of his driving . Although he has changed trucks and trailers often, his outstanding reputation is one thing which has never changed. He continues to have a loyal following of three generations of local farmers and businesses.
Barry is a pillar of the local Urana community and continues to drive for the local farmers and work his contract on the Urana Shire. Barry Hemphill is a living legend in the Urana community, across the Riverina and in the wider road transport community. For 56 continuous years his dedicated service to both his industry and his community have been exemplary.
