Stuart Weaver
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2013.
Stuart (Stu) Cameron Weaver was born in 1932. He learnt early how to work hard and improvised in every situation thrown his way, transporting some unusual loads, mainly around Queensland from the mid 1950s to the late 1990s. Like most truckies of the era improvisation was the key to viability and keeping on the road. He often sought a solution with his tools of choice hammer and a length of 'Number #8' fencing wire!
Stuart started driving around the Mullumbimbi NSW area in 1948 delivering fire wood with his brothers in an ex World War Two 1942 Chevrolet blitz wagon. The family business expanded and they started a demolition business, working around South Brisbane in the early 1950s. The Blitz wagon was still the mainstay of the business's transport operations. It even became a courting vehicle for Stu to take his soon to be wife, June to the brand new Skyline drive-in at Sunnybank in 1957.In 1964 Stuart was awarded the safe-driving award by the National Road Council of Australia while doing bulk deliveries for the Courier Mail. By 1967 he was driving for Prices Transport between Brisbane and Cairns in an Albion Chieftain with seven foot gates. The loads were always teetering even higher than that. During one trip, in an ACCO & dog trailer, headed for Mt Isa on the then unsealed roads from Dicks Creek (250 miles (5hrs) on today's roads), Stu found the gear stick missing! It had broken off and was dragging on the road; he made some quick repairs to get into Mt Isa.
Stu started with TNT in 1972, driving overnight to Rockhampton and Gladstone, then moving to Rocklea Carrying Company. He hauled unusual loads - a crashed aeroplane, a camel, overhead cranes 70ft long and 12ft wide and 85ft long roofing-iron out of Brownbuilt. Looking for a change of scenery Stu joined his brother in-law, Lofty, at Skennars Coaches as a coach driver tour guide. It wasn't long before Stu realised he preferred trucks and freight that didn't talk.Stu was well known along the highways and was always keen to give a hand to any-one in need or simply to stop for a friendly chat. He earned himself several nick names over the years including 'Havachat ' and 'Jock' or, when you wound him up or he got a bit stirred up 'Jock McStrop'.
While driving for Aitkens Transport, Stu moved a lot of Hornibrooks construction material for sites all over Queensland including wharves in Gladstone, Shute Harbour and Mackay and Dams at Warwick, Wivenhoe and the Hinze. Stu drove the bulk cement tanker for a while and delivered continuously from 3am the day the concrete pour was happening for Ipswich Shopping Centre construction in 1987. Stu moved to Stradbroke Island with June and drove with Stradbroke buses until 1998. Stu has now retired to Warwick and still enjoys reflecting on his trucking adventures.