Raimund Mikevski

Raimund Milevski was born of Estonian parents in Germany on the 13thFebruary 1945. His father drove a truck in Estonia, carting sand for road works before it was taken from him during World War II. They migrated to Australia living in a migrant camp. Raimund's father found work and then built their home in Rosewater, South Australia.

When Raimund was going to school he did some work for Jack Symes Transport in Port Adelaide, loading ships and boats by hand with wool from the Wool Stores. When he was old enough to get a licence, he started driving for Jack.

Raimund's father bought his first truck for him in the 1960s. It was a second hand 1964 AB 180 International with a Perkins diesel. Raimund then bought a brand new International with a 189 Cummins for 6000 pounds which he had for three years. Later he bought a MAN. After owning two MANs, he bought a Scania. Raimund sold the Scania to a mate and gained a G88 Volvo in the deal. He then bought an F model Mack which he had a lot of trouble with and cost him a lot of money. He sold the Mack and bought a White Road Commander. Raimund then bought his first Kenworth, a K100 and then a K125. He drove all around Australia with his trucks. He hired a driver to drive the Mack for him while he drove the Volvo.

Raimund drove his Road Commander, which he had painted in Fluid Freight colors when he started sub-contracting for them. He also drove his K100 and K125 for Fluid Freight.

Raimund sold his last truck to Phil Talbot in 1990. He then started driving for Talbot in his truck. He drove for him for a short time and then for his best mate, Len Wood, carting general freight to Perth. Raimund then drove for Finemores Transport pulling triples to Darwin. While working for Finemores Raimund received a driver's safety award for an accident free record. He officially retired from driving but couldn't stay away completely so he drove triple cattle crates out of the Northern Territory for his son-in-law. He now does a bit of part time work at Port Adelaide wharves driving a tipper.

Raimund has many stories to tell from his 50 years of driving. He told his family how it was so hot the railway lines were buckling and the birds were coming into the shower with him to cool down. Raimund was bogged in his International and a bloke in a brand new B61 Mack said he would pull him out but just pulled his bulbar off. Raimund was once bogged on the Strzelecki Track for nine days. He also took the first Clipsal cars to Darwin.

Raimund married Gudrun Garve in 1963. They had two daughters, Cindy and Veronica.