Allan Doherty‘s White Road Commander arriving at Clarendon.

This event has it all, the trucks of yesteryear, good friendly people, and a celebration of those who once did the hard yards driving this fantastic piece of road.

The iconic yet infamous Hume Highway was the road the trucking industry relied on to connect Sydney and Melbourne and keep communities en route bustling in the days before expressways bypassed small town Australia.

Those who ran the Hume are now remembered by the organisation of the Haulin‘ the Hume truck run that was started back in 2011 by Bruce Gunter and his father Geoff. Haulin‘ the Hume is now held every two years, with Bruce spending every spare moment he has organising the event and making sure all details are in order.

Calleja‘s Autocar.

This year‘s starting point was the picturesque Clarendon Showgrounds in Richmond, north west of Sydney. With the trucks arriving all day and night, the Western Sydney Historical Truck Club provided dinner and the team from Royan Truck and Trailer Repairs put on breakfast the next morning for a gold coin donation.

The convoy left the showgrounds early on an autumn Saturday morning with the trucks making their way to Narellan. They then headed up the famous Razorback Ridge where the truck blockade of 1979 was held for nine days to protest the government demanding an unjust tax on the ordinary truck driver be abolished.

Nothing like picking up some spare parts along the way.

On to Picton, and with the public watching and waving the trucks headed on through the Hole in the Wall and continued the scenic drive through Mittagong, Berrima, Marulan and on to Goulburn for a lunch stop.

Around 2pm the trucks headed for Breadalbane and the sensational Cullerin Range. The entrants received warm welcomes in Gunning and Yass, which was the last town on the run and completely overrun with trucks parked up for the night. Sunday morning the trucks lined the street at the aptly named Gasoline Alley where a BBQ breakfast and farewell was held before everyone went their separate ways.

Lyons Transport‘s Atkinson from Mittagong leaving Yass in the rain.

Kerden Haulage‘s International D1910 from Nowra.

An incredible $40,000 was raised this year, with $30,000 going to ASPECT (Autism Spectrum Australia), $5,000 to the YASS Shire Council for a disabled playground and $5,000 to the Challenge Foundation in Goulburn to go toward accessories to assist in the transport and care of disabled and special needs children.

2017 was undeniably the biggest Haulin‘ the Hume event held so far, with 308 trucks officially entering and about 50 following along. It was a truly amazing sight and a fitting way to remember those who travelled this stretch of highway all those years ago.

Barry Chadwick and his 359 Peterbilt

A former Truckin‘ Life Rig of the Month, this 359 Peterbilt was bought by its current owner, Barry Chadwick, as a ridged tipper. After 25 years of hard work and lots of body damage, a huge effort was needed to restore the Peterbilt to its original look, including the classic American paint scheme it had back in the 1980s.

Syd Ramsay‘s 1976 R Model Mack

An avid machinery enthusiast and heavy vehicle mechanic for 40 years, Syd Ramsay purchased his 1976 R Model Mack back in July 2012. The Mack still has the original 237hp E6 engine but the Mack 5-speed gearbox has been replaced by a 15-speed OD Roadranger transmission. Syd has only restored the rear of the truck at this stage but plans are in place for more to be done. Syd built the trailer so he could transport his classic tractors to events.

The article is dedicated to the memory of Warren Noakes.