Simon Kouwenhoven

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunions 2008.

Simon Johannes Kouwenhoven, 'Big Dutch', was born in Rotterdam in 1942.  His father was a truck driver (TIR) and from the time he could stand up young Simon travelled in trucks all over Europe with his Dad.
He attended Merchant Navy College and at 14 went to work in deep sea salvage as an apprentice.  In 1959, at just 17, he migrated to Australia with his parents and worked for the Phillips Watts brickyard.
Simon later got a job with Lobethal Woollen Mills for a few months followed by a driving job for Keith Wagner.  Based in Glandore, SA, Simon drove a 6X6 GMC Studebaker and then a 4-cyclinder Foden semi and shortly after a brand new Foden with a 61X Gardner with epicycle 12-speed box supplying concrete tank building teams with wire mesh and cement on cattle stations, sheep stations and missions all over Australia.  Simon then bought a service station, Simon Motors, on the Melbourne Highway at Little Hampton, SA.  Doing repair work for truckies made him crazy as he missed the road too much, so he then went to drive a 200RB International for Cargo Green McCandish in Port Melbourne for five years.
Simon returned to Holland in 1968 and drove for Rotterdam Tramway as a captain-coach driver touring all over Europe, Scandinavia and the UK.  Returning to Australia in 1972, Simon finished his heavy vehicle (diesel) apprenticeship and began driving for Lewis Bros, then Mt Barker Passenger Services, now Stateliner, in SA.  He went on to do safari tours for Briscoes, CMVand Pioneer.  In 1984 he began driving for Associated Tourist Service buying one of three shares and there he remained until they sold out in 1992.  Simon then retired, but was soon helping out a mate by driving an R-model Mack at P&O Ports pulling a 48' drop-deck trailer.
Big Dutch is retired now but reckons he will still do a bit as long as his phone keeps ringing.  Big Dutch spent many years driving and is renowned for being one of the best mechanics in the country.