The Deniliquin Truck Show returned over the weekend, this year with a change of venue, to the hallowed grounds where the famed Ute Muster is held, a couple of kilometres south of the township.
The move gave the organisers a set-up with infrastructure already in place – tables and chairs, undercover areas, sheds for food and bars, all with the aim of giving visitors a better trucking experience. The venue also offers greater space for trucks and vendors as they look to the future.
The Deniliquin Truck Show was held at a new venue this time round. Image: Graham HarsantAs with any show of this kind, there can be only one Truck of the Show, but the winner has been there before. Scott Congram won back in 2014 with his then brand new Kenworth C509. Ten years later and he’s done it again with the same truck, a testament to the condition in which he’s kept the big banger, which spends its days hauling livestock.
Scott’s reason for buying the C509 – his first new truck – was simple. “I just wanted one! The truck has over a million kilometres on it and has treated me well over its life. It’s been a really good truck.”
Growing up on his parent’s farm, there wasn’t enough income to support the wider family, so Scott followed big brother, Craig into trucking. “He was ten years older and was instrumental in helping me set up and go out on my own, a process I’m repeating with my son, Riley.
“My first truck was a T-line 2670. It’s a long way to Longreach in a T-line! As least it had a big bunk in it. Then came a 1989 Western Star 4964, a T904 and finally this C509, my first new truck.
“It will also be my last. I’m getting to the age where I’d like to work to live, rather than the other way round.”
Ten years ago, then 10-year-old Riley helped prepare the C509 for the show. “I didn’t expect to be doing it again all these years later,” he quipped. Riley now drives Scott’s previous truck, the Western Star, and is carving out his own trucking future.
Graham Thompson Motors – the Shepparton Kenworth/DAF dealer – recognised the value of the show, arriving with a couple of K220s, a T610 SAR, a DAF CF and DAF’s much anticipated XG model with its new Paccar (read Cummins) motor. The XG is a good looking truck and we can see it winning Paccar Australia quite a few new customers.
‘Old Timer’: This Ford 800 could spin a few yarns. Image: Graham HarsantUnsurprisingly, the Kenworth brand was in abundance, but there was plenty of other product to gaze one’s eyes over, including ‘Old Timer’, a blast-from-the-past Ford 800. The Ford brand was joined by Bedford, International, Chevrolet, Scania, Mercedes-Benz, Western Star, Mack and others.
Tony Rinaldi, although owning a couple of Kenworth T604s and a 904, is a Mercedes-Benz fan from way back and has six – yes six –1418s, “because I just can’t help myself!” he said.
Tony also has a short-bonneted 911, four 2228s and a 1988 2244 which he brought along to the show, winning the Best Euro Truck award.
Tony Rinaldi won Best Euro Truck with his Mercedes-Benz 2244, one of many Benzs he owns. Image: Graham Harsant“I started off with Mercedes-Benz back in the 1418 days around 1982. I’ve been a Benz man for a long time. Stepped up into a 2632 which is an old V10, then I went to a 2238, on to the 2244 and then a Freightliner.
“I guess I’ve had this truck over 10 years. It’s been very reliable. It’s a V8 twin turbo 440hp. The V10s were a long stroke, naturally aspirated, but they were heavy on fuel. Then they went to the 2238s which were turbo’d. They were a pretty good truck which never really took off. Then the 2244s came along.”
The truck is road registered and Tony uses it on his farm, carting grain to the silos. It has been in demand by Mercedes-Benz as well, with the company taking it (and Tony) to Cairns in 2016 to celebrate the introduction of the Actros.
Kade McLachlan with his ultra reliable and much-loved International S-line. Image: Graham HarsantKade McLachlan is a young fella with a penchant for the old gear – in his case an International S-line with a Cummins 350 Big Cam and 15 direct on Hendrickson.
“I was always around S-lines as a kid. My father used to drive an S-line with a 400 Big Cam, so I guess that’s where the attraction came from. My pop used to work for Pioneer in Wagga and he drove one with a 444 in it. They are an odd truck – a glorified farmer’s truck, but I love them,” Kade explained.
“There was this one at Warragul and another at Avenel. Glad I went for this as it’s been reliable and has many more lights than that other one!”
Yep, lights will do it for ya, Kade. A polarising feature of the truck though is the enormous bull bar, but Kade loves it so who are we to argue? Bought for $18,000, Kade reckons it owes him around $23k all up. With 400,000km on the speedo – and that’s probably on it third or fourth cycle – the S-line has been super reliable, taking Kade to Casino and other truck shows, plus Crawlin the Hume, without incident.
When not toying with the Inter, Kade spends his days hauling logs out of the Snowy Mountains behind the wheel of a 2012 Kenworth T909.
The Deniliquin Truck Show attracts the new and the old and a large variety of makes and models, certainly enough to keep the average truck lover entertained for the day, especially in its new surroundings. It’s well worth putting the next rendition on your calendar for 2025.
*For more pics, check out the upcoming November 8 edition of Big Rigs Newspaper.
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