Castlemaine Truck Show 2022

It’s been a few years since Jon Kelly has been to Castlemaine, but he returned this year as Naming Rights sponsor of the truck show along with David Larson of Larson’s Truck Sales.
Jon Kelly’s involvement with the Castlemaine Truck Show includes winning the Truckin' Life Rig of the Year, not once but twice at Castlemaine – the only person to ever do so. He has also garnered numerous Truck of the Show awards along the way.

“The show is very special to me,” said Jon. “I came down in 2004 for a bit of a look and have been coming back pretty well ever since. This has always been a special show for me. As a result of those awards it gave me a taste for wanting to set the benchmarks in nice trucks. Castlemaine has probably cost me $10 to $15 million in terms of buying cool trucks over the years.”

“To come down this year and see the oval full again is wonderful. COVID knocked a lot of businesses around from a social point of view so it’s great to see that it’s back to business as usual. The calibre of trucks that have turned up is phenomenal, but that’s always been the hallmark of this particular show.

“It’s also been great to rub shoulders with a few of the old people that I’ve met over the years here. It’s even better to see the new, younger generation turn up with their trucks and ideas. That’s what I love about truck shows. The industry is ever evolving and we see the best of it at shows like Castlemaine.

“I’m in my 40s now and I remember coming here in my early 20s. The most exciting thing for me is I’ve been able to bring my two young boys down here. They’ve been washing and cleaning the trucks and experiencing the absolute quality of vehicles here.”

The HHA logo remains the same but the ‘A’ now stands for Assets instead of Australia.

“Everyone knows what happened with the old [Heavy Haulage Australia] and McAleese. I spent a couple of years rediscovering myself and working out what I was going to do.

“Of course I love trucks and was never going to leave the industry, so I started Heavy Haulage Assets, started over in truck sales and doing up trucks. We’ve got a big truck dealership in Brisbane where we buy and sell trucks. We sold over 200 trucks last year and are on track to equal that this year. A big part of the business is refurbishing trucks – which I love doing. I’m also back with half-a-dozen trucks doing heavy haulage as well.”

“So, I’ve got the best of both worlds. I get to build and sell really, really cool trucks, and still get to do a bit of transport. It provides me with an awesome lifestyle and allows me to spend more time with my boys, come to events like Castlemaine and have a lot of fun.”

Jon confirmed the whispers of a new TV series coming out.

“It’s called Aussie Truck Rehab, which has been picked up by Discovery Channel and Warner Bros. They are awesome production partners and put us on a world-wide stage. I’m excited to announce that it’s going to launched early next year – probably February/March. There will be a sneak preview sometime in December, which will be the first episode. They are talking about a second series already, so it’s exciting times.

“We’ve had ball making the show. There’s a couple of familiar faces from the old HHA days, including driver Dave who’s been with me for 17 years – I mustn’t be too bad to work for.”

Jon has joined forces with David Larson as naming rights sponsor of the Castlemaine Truck Show. “I couldn’t think of a better co-sponsor than Dave. This show has figured prominently in his life as well.”

As past General Manager of AdTrans, David supported the show for many years and has resumed that involvement with his own Larson’s Truck Sales business.

Never one to do things by halves, Jon brought nine trucks down to Castlemaine. “I still have the fire in the belly and a passion for what I do, and hope to bring that to Castlemaine.”

HHA and Larson’s Truck Sales have secured Naming Sponsor rights to the Castlemaine truck show for three years.

The most recognisable name at Castlemaine would have to be the Cornwill brothers: Troy, Wayne and Rick. The trio have been supporting the truck show for some 25 years and along the way have garnered more awards for their trucks than any other entrant. This year was no different, with them picking up an award for Best Truck over 14 years.

Indeed, when one of the founders of the show, Doug Parsons, was asked about judging, he directed this year’s judges to the Cornwill’s three-truck display and said: “Go over those boys’ trucks first. Check them minutely inside and out – and underneath. And then you’ll have the yardstick with which to go by for every other truck here.”

The Cornwill’s pride of the fleet at Castlemaine and sitting in the centre is ‘Paradise’, a magic 2008 Kenworth T908 which would have to be one of the most awarded trucks in history. Paradise is powered by one of “the best motors, mate,” says Rick, referring to the Caterpillar under the bonnet.

The truck has done a mere 400,000km. If you think the outside looks good then inside is even better – the highlight being the stainless steel ‘floorboards’ which run the length of the cab and bunk. Each longitudinal section is folded underneath the next for added strength.

It took Thorpey a full week to do it,” said Rick, referring to Thorpe Custom Trucks. “It’s the first truck to have a floor like that.”

On the left is ‘Shipping Steel’, also from 2008 but this time in the form of a T408. Starting life as a Cahill truck, the 408 has 1.8 million kilometres on the clock and is Troy’s daily drive. Troy painted the chassis and then it went to TFI who painted the cab, followed by custom chrome work, again by Thorpe.

Through its working week the gleaming red aluminium floors – installed by Troy - are covered by mats. At the show the boys only wear socks when moving her about (as with the other trucks).

On the right is a newer addition to the fleet in the form of a T409 SAR. Originally owned by Neil Wright of Kilmore, the blue and white paintwork was changed to the Cornwill’s colour, again by TFI.

Disappointingly (for the Cornwills, at least) it is powered by a red motor, although Rick grudgingly admits that it actually runs very well. The boys have covered 200,000 of its 570,000km since they acquired the truck.

At 76, dad still likes to keep his hand in and helps out when needs be. The boys treat Castlemaine as a bit of an early Christmas party and always bring their six employees with them. The close camaraderie between everybody is plain for all to see, and friends (of which there are many) are always welcome to stop in and partake of the wide variety of beverages sitting in two of the biggest Eskys you ever did see.

The Cornwills have been parking in the same spot at Castlemaine for all those years, with grandpa’s 80-year-old canvas tent over those Eskys, and the area has become known as Cornwill City. If you get to the show in the future, try and camp up nearby. You’ll be assured of a long and noisy Saturday night and more laughs than you’d ever imagine.

A new SAR Legend with a 50-inch bunk is on its way and Shipping Steel will be sold, so if you’re in the market for a magic T408…

Meanwhile, along with work commitments there’s a 1980 Aerodyne being restored with two more to follow. There’s little doubt that the Cornwills will be accepting truck show awards for many years to come.

EJ Morris hasn’t been out to a truck show for a while with work commitments and some health issues taking up most of his time. That wasn’t good enough for sons, Ethan and Jessie (both having followed in dad’s footsteps and getting involved in trucking), so they and their partners, along with sister, Brooke, Danny and friends got stuck in and over a single weekend stripped EJ’s beloved 2007 Western Star back and repainted its roof, guards and whatever else needed attention. Jesse then organised for Snap Detailing at Dandenong to polish the bullbar while he got stuck into the tanks. “No excuses now, dad.”

So EJ turned up at Castlemaine in what he refers to as his Garbage Truck – so called because it carts recycled plastic, “all day, every day”.

“It’s the biggest garbage truck in Victoria, I reckon,” says EJ. “She’s a beautiful truck and comfortable to ride in to boot.”

Under the bonnet is a Series 60 EGR putting out 525hp. Apart from a couple of minor issues, the motor has been fine.

“A bigger issue was the wiring harness for the engine management. I got onto a bloke at Leocata’s (Transport at Tatura) and he told me they’d had the same issue with theirs. A new harness brought her back to where she should be.

“You find out more by word of mouth and talking to the older blokes (of which I’m one) and save a heap of money into the bargain.”

EJ’s philosophy regarding his truck came from Joe, the bloke who gave him a start in the industry. “You treat your truck as though every day is a truck show. Coming here to Castlemaine, it’s great to see how many others live the same philosophy and have the pride, even though the industry is hurting.”

When EJ talks of his truck or of his family, you can see the pride well up in him. That he is proud of their achievements and their attitude and work ethic is due in no small part to EJ and his adored wife, Cheryl.

There can be multiple awards but there can only be one Truck of the Show, and this year it went to one Jeremy Edwards. It was Jeremy’s first time entering a truck at Castlemaine and he only just made it – arriving just in the nick of time to register.

“They nearly turned me back at the gate, there were so many trucks here, but the lady said she’d best let me in because it was so nice and shiny. I never thought I’d win a prize of any sort, much less come first with the competition and the stunning trucks that always turn up here,” he commented.

The truck is a 2008 Kenworth K108 Big Cab in a stunning blue. It’s the little things that can count big at a truck show and Jeremy has done a bunch of those to make this truck stand out. Have a look of the picture below of his two KWs and play spot the difference…

For those of you who missed them – or are short-sighted like me – look at how the headlight surrounds have been altered and the turn indicators changed. Could this be a template for a possible future Legend model?

“We pulled a heap of stuff off it and fibreglassed over the holes. We stripped it down to a bare chassis and went from there, deleting everything and starting over. Pretty much everything is new from bumper bar to radiator to intercooler. Every hose and fuel line has been replaced along with customised engine parts.”

Inside, the gauges have been customised with Jeremy’s logo. As with the Cornwills, Jeremy took the truck to TFI for the paint job – and what a job they’ve done!

Jeremy has a workshop in Melbourne where he does up trucks and specialises in Caterpillar repairs, so doesn’t get much time behind the wheel. That suits his driver, Jason, who is about to step up from the red and white KW into the winning truck.

“Jeremy’s pulled more horsepower out of the Cat and I can’t wait,” quipped Jason.
To win at Castlemaine is no mean feat and to win it at your first attempt in front of some 300 other trucks even more so. Congratulations, Jeremy.

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