Ron Newman
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2010.
Ronald Stanley Newman was born 14th December 1926 the eldest of 9 children. Ron left school at an early age and worked in the bush with his father who had a bullock team, and later with his uncles. Ken and Ern, drawing poles in the Moorland area on the north coast of NSW driving a dozer. From there he moved to Coffs Harbour working for the Forestry Department driving dozers. He spent a few years in the NSW Police Force in North Sydney and while there met and married Marie.
On leaving the police force they returned to Coffs Harbour where he drove trucks and also had his own logging truck for a while. He also drove a truck for WH Bailey carting wheat from out west to Coffs Harbour. This broke down out of Ebor in winter and it was so cold he got down amongst the wheat bags overnight to keep warm.
In 1955 Ron and Marie moved to Taylors Arm (The Pub with No Beer Village) where he purchased a bus run from Taylors Arm to Macksville running a road of mostly dirt and corrugations. The Taylors Arm bus broke down on the way home from school and Ron spent all night rebuilding the motor so he could use the bus on the school run next morning (no spare bus in those days). His brother Arnie had his own bus run from Eungai to Macksville and they joined the runs to form the Newman Bros. Bus Service. By 1985 this had grown to 12 buses servicing school runs in the area. It was at this time that Ron bought Arnie's share of the business and became Newmans Macksville. Over the next few years the company grew and Ron bought Pells Nambucca Bus Service. This bought the total fleet vehicles to 36 buses and coaches, district beer delivery trucks and 1 Mack on interstate work. During this time Ron did many school runs, tours and charters including safaris throughout Australia which gave him a great deal of pleasure. He is also a very competent mechanic doing all mechanical work in the business.
During the last few years in the business he developed an interest in restoration of old trucks searching firstly for a 1942 NR Mack. He found it and it is his pride and joy. He also has a B-model Mack logging jinker, a 1953 A51 Mack, an NM 1942 Mack with lots of spare parts. These trucks have created lots of enjoyment and also frustration over the past years.
Ron retired in June 2000 when Newmans Macksville was sold to King Bros. Kempsey. He and Marie have since travelled far and wide. He also enjoys tinkering with and showing his old trucks.
