Bernie Mawson
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2012.
A frequent sight to road travellers across northern Victoria and southern New South Wales is the gleaming Mawson gold and maroon concrete and quarry delivery trucks. Mawson road haulage trucks have been growing in number since 1927 and Bernie Mawson has been an integral part of that growth from 1945, commencing work in the family business as a truck driver in a Blitz and later in a Mapleleaf. Over the years of his involvement Bernie has progressed from truck driver to workshop manager to company director to skilled mentor always having a keen interest in the Mawson trucking fleet. Today Bernie can still be seen inspecting tyres, checking air filters and listening to any tell tale noises of problems that may need attention before they become significant problems.
Bernie's father Barney had progressed from driving teams of horses winning timber from the Gunbower State Forest and other contracting work including channel drain and road construction using scoops to load his new five ton, four cylinder petrol powered Chevrolet truck in 1927.Stone from the growing post war road network in the Cohuna, Boort and Kerang districts was at this time sourced from quarries at Mt. Hope and Pyramid Hill. Tip trucks which Bernie drove were loaded at the quarries using hand shovels and cable loaders mounted on Fordson tractors.At the time of the acquisition of their first quarry in 1952, Mawsons were operating about 20 trucks including an increasing number of semi trailers equipped with modern l2 ton hydraulic hoists to tip "big" l0 cubic yard loads. As the company expanded its quarrying and concrete interests it engaged subcontractors to assist its tip truck fleet and concrete agitator fleet. Other trucks were fully occupied with float work transporting equipment throughout Victoria and New South Wales. Today a total of over 100 road trucks are involved; the regulars all proudly displaying the Mawson colours that have become a badge of "building partnerships" across the region. In December 2007 Adelaide Brighton Ltd purchased 50% of Mawsons. Bernie's family retains the remaining 50% and the leadership baton has been passed to Bernie's son John who was appointed managing director of the new joint venture.
