Byrne Hislop

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2000.

Edgar Byrne Douglas Hislop was born in 1935 at Isisford QLD and spent 50 years driving trucks. He currently works part time as a general shed hand for Road Trains of Australia at the Mt Isa depot during the season and lives at Maroochydore during the off season.

In 1952n, Byrne started his trucking career in a elderly Morrisfor the Aramac Shire . During this time turned 17 and became an officially licensed driver. The truck was a Blitzer with a International motor and crank start.

from 1954bto 1057 he drove Fords and Internationals for local carriers at Isisford and Ilfraeombe and for a short spell with Isisford Shire. He formed Barcoo Transport in September 1957nwith Alan Jones , operating out of Isisford and unertaking mail runs and general carrying with Ford and International Trucks . They graduated to semi trailers and road trains , pulled by Internationals and B model Macks carting wool to Brisbane . Livestock all over central western Queensland and regular hauls from Brisbane to Darwin carting general freight and anything else that needed to go.

Byrnes main involvement with Barcoo transport was as a driver. When the company came under new management in 1968, byrne moved on , first as a owner driver then as a driver in long haul roadtrain area. in 1973nhe began driving a Kenworth roadtrain for Rednorth between Darwin and Tennent Creek.

His fond association with Kenworth continued until his retirement at the age of 67 when he was driving a roadtrain tippers out of Cloncurry for Ross J Kiernan. He considers that Kenworth is the ideal truck as it combines comfort and can handle the rough stuff when dished out. Bryne says the saddest day of his life was when he gave up driving.