Robert Winwood
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2013.
From 1966 Robert drove for Bert Wakefield from Woodend subcontracting for KL McKenzie carting interstate. In 1968 Robert took a job with Knights Transport beginning a long association and solid working relationship. He drove many trucks during this era including International R200s and DCO and DCF Transtars hauling anything from petrol to chemical between Melbourne and Sydney. Robert decided to take the leap and become an owner-operator in 1976 when he purchased a Ford F750 tipper. The Hume Freeway was under construction at the time and it was the ideal opportunity to get into his own business. Robert enjoyed life in the road construction industry and eventually upgraded to a Mack 'Flintstone' and 18 metre tipper. One thing Robert especially enjoyed was being home with his family every night.
When the Hume Freeway was completed Robert went back to work for Knights as a subcontractor in his Mack - hauling long hours up and down the freeway he helped build only a few years before. Ever proud of his truck Robert often entered truck shows and it was during this era he won the third prize in the best working truck category in the Wandong Convoy.
In 1984, needing a break from the road, Robert sold the Mack and purchased an S2 Kenworth and started hauling concrete for Pioneer. After six years Robert retired to the farming life where he still drove an ocassional truck carting his own cattle and sometimes driving for Macroom Pastoral carting tomatoes to the Melbourne Markets.
During his working life Robert had a reputation for keeping his trucks both immaculately clean and well maintained. Sunday was always a ritual of washing and polishing before he'd hit the road again. Robert was well known along the highways and was always ready to give a helping hand to any-one that needed it along the roadside. Robert has since been diagnosed with leukemia and has stopped driving for a living. Although, he still loves driving the old Flintstone Mack his wife Wendy bought him last year - including showing the young fellows how to handle a twin stick.