Hi All,
My bro-in-law down the Otways told me about an early White, sitting in a cocky's shed. When I quizzed him about it, about all he could tell me it 'had a petrol motor, two gear sticks and looked a bit like a Mack or an Inter' Apparently it came with the farm when it (farm) changed hands and hadn't been started in years. "Petrol too dear, get a bigger rebate on diesel". Don't know about that one.
He was going to find out a bit more about it, but like all slack farmers and slack bro-in-laws, by the time he got around to it, it had been snapped up. I asked around and it COULD have been new in 1967/1968. Would that have made it the "White Mustang"? I remember working for Thiess Bros around that era, they had a White as an on-site fuel tanker at Talbingo Dam. I always thought it unusual, as it was a petrol job, humping this huge diesel tank around the site refuelling the dozers and scrapers. It too was a twin sticker, had the main 5 speed and the remote mounted 4 speed auxillary. Geared very low, big tank, pretty rugged country to handle, must have needed it. I have an idea it came brand new with the job, may have even been delivered around the time of the 75 ton Haulpaks and the Trojan 8000 loader. Incidentally,those rear dumpers were taken to the site by Canningtons, unless my memory is failing, my first sight of the famous Peterbilts which ended up as PCT gear. One of the old drivers may be able to correct me here, I always thought that the loads came from Tutt Bryants yard, but someone or other told me that they were more likely to have come direct off the wharf. Either way, they would have had to detour around the famous "Hole-in-the-wall" at Picton. Had a bit of a look to see if anything posted on a Cannington/PCT site with these loads on, but no luck. Which brings up the question of wide/oversize loads going anywhere South on the Hume, how DID they get around Picton? Wouldn't have been allowed through Appin, nor McQuarrie pass and those coal roads out the back of Camden would not have been heavy enough to take them. Surely they wouldn't have gone "over the mountain" (Mount Vic) and then cut back south? Like all dumb-ass questions, probably a simple answer and bet a buck that some knowledgeable bloke here would know.
Going through a few old photos the other day, came across a couple taken somewhere around the back of Rosehill racecourse (Camelia?) of what I had been told was the arrival of the first D10 to Australia. It was sitting on the back of that long bonneted R model Mack of Brambles. Why Brambles had it on is anybody's guess, as T.J. Clarkes usually did all Wacka Jacks (Waugh and Josephsons) Caterpillar transfers from dock to the Alexandria yard, unless of course on that particular day, Clarkes big float was on another job. Or maybe their float wasn't big enough? Again, perhaps a far more knowing person than I, can correct me.
Regarding old photo's , if I can work out how to post them. I also have a photo taken of someones blue and white R model Mack taken at the Birdcage, (Sturt Hwy). Driver told me he was taking the load (Allis-Chalmers HD41 dozer) to Olympic Dam. Good load for a 287 "Coolie", Again, seems a bit out of the way, maybe not allowed over Mt Vic at the time?
Thoroughly enjoying some of the stories/photo's on these forums, some very knowledgeable blokes here who don't mind taking the time and effort to both inform and entertain others. Thanks!
Dave64
