Rare trucks, vintage tractors, live music and food stalls. This year’s Tractor Pull and Truck Show had it all.
With a relatively new committee on board, the 2015 Tooradin Tractor Pull and Truck Show, held on January 17, was yet another successfully run event.
Despite the changing weather conditions, truck owners and drivers were not discouraged. Some keen participants spent the previous night on site, shrugging off the 1am downpour.
The majority of the trucks rolled up on the Saturday morning for an entertaining day that included live music.
All up over 5,000 people attended to see 86 trucks entered in various categories and 24 exhibitor vehicles.
In addition there were cars on display, plus numerous food stalls and trade displays. A side show alley, face painting, dodgem cars and a jumping castle kept the kids entertained.
Early in the afternoon 20 vintage tractors put on a display that was followed by serious tractor pulling.
Owner//Driver spoke to a number of truck show participants, who brought along a mix of classic and brand new trucks and prime movers, and everything in between.
Daniel Miles, Matthew Tatt and Rob Hogan brought along some fairly new gear belonging to Victorian Freight Specialists, namely two Kenworth K200s and a T359.
“They are updating the fleet a bit, so we thought we would bring them and show them off,” Rob says.
DRT Logistics’ Kenworth T909 was one of the few road train-rated prime movers on show at Tooradin. The T909’s driver Darren Marcus does a regular Melbourne to Brisbane run, hooking up the road train at Swan Hill.
“It’s a good run apart from the skippys,” Darren says.
“There are a lot out there, and with not much rain, the only green grass is on the edge of the bitumen.”
Shane Wilkey turned up with a T409 SAR and a 1985 Aerodyne.
Shane drives the T409 for Pete Atkins of Rutherglen, while the cab-over is his own piece of history.
“It’s a classic Kenworth,” Shane says.
“It’s all original except for the motor, which was originally a Cat. It’s 81 tonne road train-rated and I brought it down for a bit of a look.”
Colin Hook’s International CO9670 was one of the rarest trucks on display at Tooradin.
“It’s a hobby; it’s the only one in the country,” Colin says.
“It’s a 1981 model and is just a toy that I love to bring to truck shows. Hopefully I will eventually refurbish it.”
Pick up the February edition of Owner//Driver for comprehensive coverage of the Tooradin Tractor Pull and Truck Show.
Photography: Peter Schlenk