When Jim Johnson’s book Big Rigs Down Under arrived on the local scene in 1980, truck-related publications in New Zealand were as rare as hen’s teeth. With an Atkinson twin-steer livestock road train on its cover, the book found its way onto many Kiwi bookshelves. More than four decades on, copies can still be found and, despite spending many years hauling livestock in outback Queensland’s more remote extremities, the Atkinson too has stood the test of time.

the late roy shaw operated a carrying business in the outback queensland town of winton for more than 60 years. the company began with a private mail run, diversifying into wool cartage and general freight. during the 1960s, shaw’s transport moved into sheep and cattle cartage, mostly from properties across western queensland.

International trucks were the weapon of choice, and Roy operated several models in the evolution of the big truck range at Shaw’s Transport. Examples included an R200, a DCO405 and, latterly, ‘Beroy’, a stunning 4300 Transtar. He was well known for purchasing bigger and more modern trucks as load size and distances increased.

In 1974, Atkinson became part of the International Harvester product range in Australia. In 1978, Shaw’s Transport had one operating as a prime-mover, pulling road trains. Then a dealer convinced Roy that the rigid combination, complete with two trailers, was the best option for his business.

As a result, an order was placed for three L408s – at the time the largest and most powerful truck available.

They were fitted with 8V92T Detroit Diesel engines, 14-speed Spicer transmissions and Eaton two- speed diffs. Each truck had a 10.3m (34’) crates and towed a pair of Freighter 12.1m (40’) trailers capable of carrying the equivalent of three-and-a-half ‘K’ wagons (standard rail livestock wagons) of cattle, the usual measure of loading for the era.

Each truck was given a name, sign-written on the front leading edge of the roof: ‘The Woolly Buffalo’, ‘Dear One’ and ‘Diamantina King’.

In 1981, Roy sold Shaw’s Transport to another iconic Queensland cattle haulier of the era, McIver Brothers (well- known for its fleet of Kenworth SARs) and ‘Diamantina King’ was refinished in green livery.

Comet Downs Station in central Queensland acquired ‘Diamantina King’ in 1984. The Atkinson served its new owners – the Armstrong family – well, hauling cattle and grain locally until being retired in 2011.

Queensland historic truck identities Matt Harkin and Barry Harmsworth located the truck and arranged to view it on the Armstrong family property in 2013.

‘Diamantina King’ was parked in a shed after its retirement, but was still in reasonable condition despite 33 years of steady toil.

Ross Armstrong decided to donate it to Winton’s Heritage Truck & Machinery Museum. A permit to operate an unregistered vehicle on the highway was obtained from Queensland Transport, and ‘Diamantina King’ made its way back to Winton under its own steam.

Roy Shaw was among the welcoming committee and was involved in the truck’s restoration before his death in May 2018.

Today, the ‘Diamantina King’ sits fully restored in the museum, looking just as it did on the cover of Jim Johnson’s book all those years ago.

Acknowledgement

Special thanks to Robyn Stephens and the team from Winton’s Heritage Truck & Machinery Museum, who so willingly arranged to have the ‘Diamantina King’ pulled out of the museum building for these photographs. If you are ever in Outback Queensland, the museum has a great collection and is well worth visiting.