Rex Ryles

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2008.

Rex Ryles moved to Western Australia from South Australia in the late 1970s.  He worked for JL Jarvis in Esperance for $2.50 per hour driving an International 2150B hauling grain and gravel.  He has memories of the Inter's bad habit of throwing their jack shafts and lonely breakdowns in the bush.

In 1989 Rex founded Desert Sands, a transport and earthmoving company at Laverton in the eastern goldfields of WA, a business he still owns and operates today.

Desert Sands operates as an earthmoving and haulage contractor supplying water, fuel, tipping products and machinery haulage throughout the harsh and isolated central Australian region.  Rex has always been busy with the daily activities of running his company.  However, he found time to commit as a shire councillor in his hometown of Laverton at the western end of the Outback Way.

Rex has had many trucks over the years.  He still owns and operates most of the trucks he has purchased including a Mack Valueliner from the 1980s and an imported Marmon.  To his credit, all his his trucks are immaculately maintained and are in excellent condition.  Rex currently has in his fleet three Macks, four Kenworths and his precious Marmon.  This is a huge task considering the harsh conditions in which the vehicles operate.  Rex has given a lot to the region he has adopted as the place in which to live and work.  Many people would not consider living and working where Rex operates.

Rex and Desert Sands are legendary in their part of the world.  This reputation has been gained by his commitment to continue through the bad times, the really bad times and the good times.  Rex is known  for getting the job done despite the obstacles.