Gulf Regional Services (GRS), a local Indigenous enterprise based in Normanton, Queensland, is one of the most remote road transport and general civil construction companies in the country.
GRS employs an average of 67 full-time equivalent staff, with nearly 100 individuals on the payroll throughout the year.
The company employs truck drivers, civil construction workers, roller, loader, grader and excavator operators, traffic controllers, labourers and diesel fitters.
Prides of the fleet are two near new Kenworth C509 road trains and two new Mack Metroliner water trucks.
The diesel fitters are vital as the machinery travels to many isolated jobs.
A group of workers travelled from Normanton to Melbourne to pick up the new Macks and travelled back.
The trucks are busy being used for civil construction, mostly road remediation work which is plentiful especially with many dirt roads in the coverage area.
Other plant equipment includes three 150 graders, one 966 next generation loader, one 323 2d excavator and 20 traffic control vehicles.
Big Rigs spoke to Shane Busch who drives one of the Kenworths and had just returned from a trip to Cairns where he picked up cars.
“It rained coming back from Cairns and we went through Mount Surprise, Georgetown and Croydon before arriving back at Normanton,” Shane said.
[L-R] Traffic controllers Emily Evans, Murrawu, Emma Toby (traffic services manager), Roxanne Thomas, Renee Wilson, Lorraine Thomas and Kyle Yanner.Shane said the Kenworth was powered by a powerful 650hp Cummins motor and with an 18-speed road ranger manual gearbox.
“It is a beautiful truck to drive and now has 50,000km on the clock,” he said.
Shane was born at Mount Isa and moved to Normanton in 1992.
He moved to Sydney after that and earned a contract with the now defunct NRL Club the North Sydney Bears.
“After that I moved to Melbourne and had my own trucking company called Bushy’s Excavations and had a Ford Louisville truck which I sold to a bloke at Millaa Milla and returned to Normanton in 2022,” he said.
“I mainly carry dirt and road base and have travelled on some very rough roads up here. Two of the worst are the dirt one between Cloncurry and Pioner and another around Dunbar on the Kowanyama run.”
The company is owned by Wade Richardson and Kahli Corporal, dedicated members of the Gulf community and descendants of Kukatj and Waanyi tribes, GRS reflects a profound connection to the land, culture, and people of the Gulf.
“Our company proudly services various local shires, including Carpentaria (Normanton & Karumba), Kowanyama, Burketown, Doomadgee, Mornington Island, Georgetown, and Croydon. We employ an average of 67 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff, with nearly 100 individuals on the payroll throughout the year, accommodating many on shorter contracts to meet project demands,” Wade said.
Normanton is located 2086km north-west of Brisbane, is 679km west of Cairns and 849km west of Townsville.
Workers travel far and wide including to the Westmoreland Road outside of Doomadgee heading towards NT.
Wade said 88 per cent of the workforce identifies as Indigenous and comes from the local lower Gulf area, underscoring the company’s commitment to community engagement and self-determination.
“In 2024, GRS has made a significant impact on the local economy. Beyond providing substantial wages, the company has supported two local Indigenous entrepreneurs in launching their own businesses, fostering economic growth within their communities,” he said.
Looking toward the future, Gulf Regional Services is set to establish an industry-specific training academy.
“This initiative aims to enhance training and employment pathways for individuals within the civil construction industry in the Lower Gulf, leveraging partnerships at local, state, and federal levels to maximise its impact. Recently traffic controllers flew across from Mornington Island and spent the week in Cairns doing the theory and on the job training,” Wade said.
Wade said remote communities also benefit economically from the success of these large companies.
GRS prioritise targeted training and workforce development.“A quarter of GRS workforce consists of individuals in the early stages of their professional careers, reflecting a diverse age range within the company.
“GRS prioritise targeted training and workforce development to enhance skills and career progression. Established Indigenous companies, like Bynoe, Morr Morr Pastoral Company, Great and Gulf Labour-Hire and many more have set a precedent of success for Indigenous organisations and businesses in the Gulf region.
“Local Gulf councils such as Carpentaria, and many more in the region are fostering authentic partnerships with Indigenous entrepreneurs, paving the way for collaborative growth and truly working towards closing the gap,” Wade said.
In keeping with its priority in employing Indigenous people, one of their Mack trucks has excellent artwork by a Mount Isa Aboriginal Justin Butler.
“Justin’s work involves embedding Aboriginal symbols, colours, contrasts, vantage points, and abstract designs to tell the stories of his people,” Wade said.
“He is an Aboriginal man from the Kalkadoon people of the Mt Isa region and Bandjin people of Munnamadahnamee (Hinchinbrook Island.) Justin’s totem is the Emu foot from his Kalkadoon lineage and Yimba (Pelican) from his Bandjin lineage. Justin also has ties and connec¬tion to the Jirrabal, Warragamay and Tagalaka Aboriginal people.”
Wade said future investments from state and federal departments for large projects in the region are crucial for community development and long-term sustainability.
“Locally awarded contracts must have a suite of local benefits embedded within such as local employment and sub-contractor arrangements,” he said.
“It’s critical for state and federal governments to reassess their procurement policies to ensure proportional investment opportunities, thereby engaging local companies effectively as a priority and preferred option.”
One of the company’s hard-working Kenworths.Outside work many of the employees support the local rugby league team the Normanton Stingers which compete in a regional outback and remote competition and that includes some who are key players.
One employee Connor Snow travelled to Charters Towers in January to compete at Australia’s biggest cricket carnival – the Goldfield Ashes.
Connor scored two half centuries for his side Far Canal and told me he loves working for the company.
One of the preferable recreations for company workers is fishing as the creeks and rivers abound with fish and mud crabs.
“I catch a lot of Barramundi in the Flinders River which is near the road to Burketown,” Shane Busch said.
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