Deals On Wheels Australia - May 2018

“This is the first one in 10 years that we’ve had the

rain,” Dave says. “That dampened it down a bit.”

Trucks dominated, but cars, utes and

motorbikes also vied for trophies. Planned

attractions included motorbike performances, a

new footrace, a pet show, rocker cover races, a

jumping castle and face painting. Some events

could not be completed because of the weather.

Regardless, truckies and locals sheltering under

the canteen veranda enjoyed the social outing.

■For info about the 2019 Oaklands Truck

Show, visit oaklandstruckshow.com.au

or like the Oaklands Truck Show

Facebook page.

Oaklands resident Dave Sheridan has been trucking since

the 1970s and proudly accepted induction to the Oaklands

Truck Show Honour Board.

Dave still drives a Kenworth for his busy trucking company,

DM & KA Sheridan. It’s a family business; Dave’s wife Kate

and daughter-in-law Sarah-Jane work in the office, while son

Mark drives full-time. All of Dave and Kate’s four children and

nine grandchildren were able to attend the truck show to

help Dave celebrate his induction.

In a family business, memories of family and work are often

intertwined. Dave recalls the day he bought takeaway for

two of his children, who were passengers in his International

ACCO. He had to console the four-year-old and six-year-old

after glass from a broken windscreen ruined their fish and

chips.

Dave has lived at Oaklands since 1974 and began carting

wool, livestock and fuel for EW Day & Sons that same year.

For many years he combined truck driving with share-

farming. The first truck Dave owned was a 1954 Austin which

he bought in 1978. He used it to cart grain and upgraded to a

1969 International ACCO in 1982.

He took on the garbage collection for Urana Shire in 1984,

and he maintained this contract for almost 20 years. In

1986 he bought a 1974 Benz to cart sheep and cattle for

Lewingtons Transport.

His dogs have been a valued part of the team. “It’s hard to

keep good dogs but when you’ve got them, it’s great.

“Livestock is a different game. You’ve got to be able to

handle stock plus you’ve got to be able to drive a truck. It’s

just not everyone’s cup of tea.”

Today, DM & KA Sheridan employs eight people and runs

four Kenworths which cart livestock, grain, potatoes, wool

and fertiliser. Dave picked up a brand-new T659 in April.

Dave Sheridan

honoured

Above: Kate Sheridan helped her husband Dave celebrate his

induction to the Oaklands Truck Show Honour Board

AUSTRALIA’S #1 TRUCK MARKETPLACE TradeTrucks.com.au 209

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