Roy McMillan

Roy McMillan was born on the 3rd February 1925 and was nicknamed Rocky. He came from a farming background at Rocky River, New South Wales and was involved with trucks from an early age when he was a driver in the war. Roy lied about his age to join the army at 17 and was based at Alice Springs in the General Transport 9th Division where he drove trucks carting army equipment between Alice and Darwin.

After the war Roy drove for Murray Valley Coaches, driving one of the first articulated coaches, driver in the prime mover and hostess and passengers in the back.

He also drove for Aclands in one of the first closed in car carriers delivering Morris Minors and Standard Eights. They had tarps along the trailer sides which he had to remove to get into the cars.

Roy's sons Doug and Barry were young then and he used to take them camping in the back of the closed in car carriers. For a few years Roy worked for the railways as a Matissa driver packing the ballast under the sleepers.

In the 1950s Roy drove for Roadair and as reported in local papers at the time was noted for risking his life to prevent injury or damage to the Winton Café when his truck caught alight.

After a short stint running the XL service station in Albury, and driving the XL fuel tanker using Jack Bownds' truck, Roy and his wife Mavis (who predeceased him) ran a successful transport business in Albury and at the time of his death on the 26th September 2010 he still owned two trucks and had been in the industry some 68 years.

Over the years Roy had done various aspects of cartage including some work for the late Ronny Miles, grain and gravel for various shires, filling domestic water tanks and interstate cartage, sometimes in partnership with son Doug.

At the time of his death Roy's trucks, R & M McMillan Haulage Pty Ltd, were towing for Border Express where he had been a tow haulier since they started, one of their longest serving sub-contractors.