‘It’s been in the blood since I was a kid’

Mel Michelsen got into the trucking game later than she’d hoped, but now she’s out there living the dream – and about to make her television debut on Outback Truckers.

From behind the wheel of her 2008 Kenworth T408, Mel is a log truck driver based in the rural town of Kogan in Queensland’s Western Downs region.

Mel says she always knew she wanted to drive trucks. “It’s been in the blood since I was a kid. My step-father was a livestock truckie. I learnt to drive in a Ford LTL, driving when I shouldn’t have been.
“I would have been about 12 when I began learning the ropes in the truck.
“I just loved it from back then. The passion for trucks started from him. When I was growing up, I was always playing with my brother’s trucks and Tonka toys.”

Unfortunately though, not everyone was keen on seeing her get into the trucking game. Now aged 49, it wasn’t until Mel was in her early 30s that she took the plunge and decided to go for her truck licence.

As she explained, “My first husband of 17 years was a truck driver but he never wanted me to get into it.”

She pulls singles, B-doubles and AB-triples. Image: Mel Michelson

Originally from Victoria, Mel moved to Queensland in 2006. She runs two Heart’s Logging trucks, pulling singles, B-doubles and AB-triples across Queensland and into New South Wales.

“I travel as far as Winton and Hughenden, and down south to Grafton, but it’s usually mainly around here,” she said.

Mel bought her current green machine about a year and a half ago. “She’s an older girl, I absolutely love this truck.”

In her 15 or so years as a truck driver, Mel has done livestock, tippers and general work, including road trains into Darwin and Perth. She got into log trucking eight years ago after seeing a job ad. “A saw there was a job going. I’d never done logging so thought I’d give it a go and really enjoyed it, so then I went out on my own,” explained Mel.

Her partner Dave Collison operates a timber mill. “I do work for that and outside work too. I don’t do the long distance stuff anymore. Since I met Dave, I don’t want to go away as much, so I’m back home at night.

“We have our own paddocks, so Dave will cut down the trees and we’ll bring them to the mill, where we make them into boards. Sometimes I’ll transport our timber to other mills or to the port – but Dave prefers to keep our timber in Australia where we can.”

Her work sees her travel around Queensland and into New South Wales. Image: Mel Michelson

Being at home more also means she gets to spend more time with her seven grandkids. “I have six grandsons and one granddaughter, aged between six and one years old. They love the truck. I’ll put the car seat in and take them for a drive around town.”

Mel often shares videos of her travels in the truck on her TikTok page cowgirl_logger, and it was through her videos that she was approached by the team behind television series Outback Truckers. She admits it took some convincing before she agreed to make her first appearance for Season 10 of the show.

Mel will appear on episode 5, which will air on 7Mate this coming Tuesday, September 24, and then later in the season, she’ll appear on episode 12. Both episodes will also be available to stream after they’ve aired, on the 7+ app.

“They had been trying to get me to come on the show for five years and I kept saying no. In the end, it was my grandkids who changed my mind. They’ll be able to watch it and see more about the work I do.”

On episode 5 of Outback Truckers, the production crew follows Mel out of Injune to pick up a load of cypress pine.

Mel also revealed she’s begun filming with the crew for Season 11 of Outback Truckers, which is due to air next year.

Mel with the Outback Truckers production crew. Image: Mel Michelson

When Big Rigs asked Mel what she enjoys most about her work, she told us, “I like the freedom of it. There’s no one standing over you, saying you can’t do this or you can’t do that. I love singing while I’m on the road too. It also gives you a lot of thinking time though – sometimes you can be your own worst nightmare!”

Mel also spoke of some of the issues drivers face too. “There seems to be more idiots on the road you’ve got to worry about. It’s getting worse and worse,” she said.

“Another issue I hate is when people post other people’s mistakes on social media instead of helping them – there’s a lot of racism too in the industry.”

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