Kilcoy Truck N Buck Show roars back

More than 150 quality and polished-to-perfection rigs lined up near the meat works in Kilcoy, north-west of Brisbane, early on Saturday, March 27, for Kilcoy Konvoy – the prelude to the Kilcoy Truck N Buck Show.

Organisers were thrilled with the number of entrants, the quality of the rigs, and the presentation of the machinery that rolled up for the day. And everyone was thrilled that the rains that had pounded the nation's east coast earlier that week had disappeared. The COVID-19 pandemic may have led to the cancellation of the event in 2020, but the enthusiasm for the show never waned and it was back in fine style for 2021.

While there was a good number of individual entries for both the Konvoy and the Truck N Buck Show, it was also pleasing to see that several fleets had made a considerable effort to shine up their equipment for the event.

The truck show partners with the local rodeo, with an action-packed program that attracts some of the best bronco riders, bull riders, team ropers and barrel racers to Kilcoy. It's a superb event for the entire family.

The venue has full catering with a licensed bar and free on-site camping for those who wish to party on till the band stops playing – it's even got hot showers for those making a weekend of it.

Related reading:
Brisbane Truck Show is go!

The weekend kicked off at 8:30am Saturday at the Winya Road muster point, where 150 trucks lined up to take part in the seven-kilometre annual convoy parade to the Kilcoy Showgrounds.

The first truck rolled out of the muster point right on 10:00am, and the familiar sound of truck horns brought smiles to all the kids who lined the streets.

Once the convoy arrived at the Kilcoy Showgrounds, the trucks parked quickly in neat rows and the judges soon began the mammoth task of inspecting all the entries. Meanwhile, there were loads of activities for the kids and a large selection of food vans and stalls to keep everyone fed.

One of Australia's top country rock bands, South West, took to the main stage and belted out some top tunes after the rodeo had entertained the young and the young at heart till late.

Earl Retschlag's immaculately restored International C1800, with its square-step long-range tanks, is an impressive restoration that drew universal admiration.

According to his 2005 Shell Rimula Wall of Fame induction nomination, Earl commenced trucking in 1953 at the age of 17.

His reputation for reliable service saw the establishment of Earl Retschlag Livestock Transport, based out of Nanango (Qld). During the '60s, his International C1800 and AB-184 were regularly running cattle from the South Burdett region to the abattoirs south of Brisbane.

The evolution of the livestock transport sector continued at Kilcoy a little further along the row, with the neatly restored Mack B61 Thermodyne. The current number plate and full steel stock crate on the rear suggests this old girl is still an active working truck.

The crew from Truck'in Stainless had their custom International ACCO with a thumping 475hp Silver 8V92TA hiding under the shed. Parked next to it was an outrageous yellow-and-black monster they've dubbed 'Filthy'.

A great collection of thumping V8 Mack Super-Liners certainly impressed the show-goers. These restorations are a credit to their owners and the workshops that performed the rebuilds.

Karreman's green-and-white Super-Liner was a favourite with this writer, mainly due to the immaculate presentation and original 'working-class man' look of a hard-working outback rig. However, the attention to period detail on this unit, including painted steel tanks, colour-coded bullbar, and classic use of chrome and stainless steel, really set it off. Again, it was another truck that hints it's still earning its keep, with the inclusion of an NHVR accreditation sticker on the bonnet.

At the other end of the scale, Tobin Transport's flawlessly presented Kenworth – a limited-edition gold nugget SAR with highly polished chrome and stainless – has all the hallmarks of an '80s interstate market runner.

While there simply isn't the time nor space to detail every stunning truck at this event, I will say the quality and presentation of those rigs on display was truly first class.

The Kilcoy Truck N Buck Show is a top event for so many reasons, but that's no secret so here's a tip: book early if you're hoping for a campsite next year, because space is limited and it sells out fast. And for good reason…