John McMullen

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2011.
John McMullen was born in Roma in 1942. He grew up in Jackson and Miles. His first job at 13 was a general farmhand on a 32,000 acre property at Jackson. John served his apprenticeship as a plumber and while still a teenager he started driving a Thames Trader and R180 International carting wool at weekends.
John then drove a BMC, a Seddon and a Bedford for Jack and Carmel Richards. Jack taught him the ropes. John carried general freight from Miles to Brisbane and all the local country towns in the area. John also drove an International carrying general freight for Swallings, Livestock on V8 petrol and Cummins powered Internationals for SM & IM Achilles, both from Miles. John drove one of the first double decker’s in the Chinchilla district. This was a White 7000 Freightliner and he carried livestock and grain as well as general freight to Sydney.In 1971 John decided to have a change and joined Ansett Pioneer on the Brisbane to Darwin run as a coach captain stationed in Winton. The trucks won out again and in 1974 he was driving for Ansett Wridgways carrying furniture from Brisbane to Mt Isa and Darwin. John pulled roadtrains to Darwin after Cyclone Tracey delivering furniture and government goods.John next drove the Cairns run in a Fiat for Grace Removals. He then worked for Grace driving a Hino doing removals in Brisbane.After remarrying John moved to Gympie where he did casual work for Grace at their Sunshine Coast branch. He also drove the heavy vehicle recovery truck which was a White Road Boss.John has now retired to a farm near Haden and is restoring a 1978 Vauxhall Bedford and would love to restore a White which is still his favourite.