Dennis Graham Taylor

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 2022.

Dennis Graham Taylor was born in Brisbane, Queensland, in July 1950 and spent his youth on the Sunshine Coast, growing up in a hard-working and innovative farming family. Coming from a background which instilled strong work ethics Dennis was well equipped for his eventual 48-year trucking career.

Always intrigued by the machinery on the farm, Dennis landed his first job at 17 as a plant operator for Thiess Brothers who were based in Archerfield but operated throughout Queensland.

In 1972, Dennis found employment at Mack Trucks in Rocklea, Queensland and worked there for the next 7 years, having a direct hand in assembling some unique prime movers. During this time, he became good friends with Fred Nowlan, a transport business owner, helping to restore a B61 Mack truck for Fred. Once the restoration was complete in 1979, Dennis offered to drive the prime mover and work for Fred. Thus, he began his driving career and for the next 15 years Dennis carted wire from Australian Wire Industries in Acacia Ridge to various mesh manufacturers across Brisbane.

Dennis had always dreamed of being an owner driver, and in 1994 ‘Dennis Taylor Transport Services’ was born. Buying a F700 Mack cabover from Fred, Dennis based himself in Brisbane and faced a big learning curve, operating as a sole trader in the transport industry. Unfortunately, Dennis worked as a subcontractor for a firm who not only didn’t pay their bills but also closed down unannounced. Suffering a large financial loss, Dennis quickly found an opportunity to become involved in a niche market, the transport of Australian made railway rolling stock. Stockpiling iron ore wagons in his depot in Hamilton, Queensland, Dennis began transporting the wagons to the port to be loaded onto ships, bound for Western Australian mines. Dennis also carted coal wagons out of Taree in New South Wales and from Queensland Rail workshops in Redbank Plains up to Rockhampton and Gladstone on the coast. Over a period of 13 years, the business grew to a fleet of six Mack trucks and employed over 25 people, including Dennis’ three sons.

Dennis also designed and built his own equipment to transport coal wagons such as a ‘cradle’ which sat on the truck’s turntable and a dolly.  A coal wagon was lowered by crane and settled into the cradle for transport without the need for a trailer.

Following the Global Financial Crisis, regulations were changed and railway rolling stock no longer had to be Australian made. Imports of cheap rail wagon ‘panels’ which did not require specialised assembly flooded the market and the need for specialised equipment to transport rolling stock dwindled. Selling off his equipment, Dennis kept his 2006 Mack Superliner and some trailers. For the next eight years he carted refrigerated vans and general freight mainly within Queensland with some interstate runs. 

Dennis retired in October 2018.  He can be found at home in Brisbane with his partner and their six cats, tinkering with Fred’s restored B61 Mack, now Dennis’ most prized possession, going to the local Men’s Shed and remaining active with Mack Truck Workers Reunions.