Beverly Newland

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 2021.

Beverley Newland (Bev) was born in Bombala, New South Wales in June 1947 and raised on a sheep farm.  Bev married Paul Bevitt and had three children.  Her dad took her to get her  truck licence in the 1960’s after which she was able to help her husband cart sheep and wool around the Bairnsdale and Snowy Mountain regions, driving a D Series Ford.

In the late 1970’s Bev and Paul moved to Sydney and operated the business ‘Truckequip’ in Smithfield, building sleeper boxes. A decades-long association with Shell Australia began when Bev took on the management role at the 24 hour Lansvale Truckport, the first such facility in Sydney.  She employed 10 staff and ran a very tight ship.  Bev was an astute business woman, well respected by customers and staff and could hold her own in difficult situations whether it involved drivers or suppliers.  Bev and Paul separated in 1986 and Bev continued to run the Truckport very successfully.

In 1993 Bev married Vic Newland who was an owner-driver with a Kenworth Aerodyne but when Bev resigned from Shell in the late 1990’s, the fleet started to grow. They moved to Narromine and purchased four Mack’s and one Kenworth to pull road trains of crude oil from Jackson Oil Fields  in Queensland to Newcastle in New South Wales. Along with managing the bookwork, Bev obtained her road train licence and drove as well.

Years later, Bev and Vic sold their trucks and moved to the Gold Coast where they forged a great relationship with Turners Transport. Driving a Kenworth T604,  they became a permanent “two up” team,  carting pipes all over Australia. Having two drivers enabled them to make an extra trip each week, a sound economic decision. Their fox terrier, Mate, always travelled with them!

Around 2007 they decided to retire, sold their truck and trailers and settled on the Gold Coast. Bev and Vic  lead a very active life travelling the world with the Ford Mustang Club and travelling Australia in their fifth wheeler.