FORMER Penola resident Maralyn Bierwirth has forged a career in the trucking and transport industry, following in the footsteps of her late father Don.
Her devotion to the industry was recognized recently when she was inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at the National Road Transport Hall of Fame in Alice Springs during its 2018 reunion.
“I was pretty shocked when I had found out I was being inducted,” she said.
“I had heard rumours of people thinking about nominating me, but I never really thought it would happen.”
She then travelled to Alice Springs for the night and celebrated with friends and family.
Born in 1945, Ms Bierwirth recalls growing up around trucks and seeing herself as her father’s sidekick while he drove trucks in addition to his earthmoving business later in life.
She went on to spend the majority of her working life within the industry, driving alongside her former husband, and her
current partner John Latham, in addition to completing book work.
Although she spent many years driving trucks and heavy machinery, Ms Bierwirth had not planned to dedicate her working life as a driver and did not gain her trucking licence until 1995.
“I spent a lot of hours driving when I probably should not have been,” she said.
“I probably sneaked thousands of kilometres in the chair, but I could not help myself, I just loved the feeling.”
Ms Bierwirth was first employed as a true truck driver by Devito’s in Waikerie and officially joined John as his co-driver on trips to the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
In 1997, she started driving triple road trains solo which was quite a sight for other drivers to see.
The 2000s saw Ms Bierwirth begin driving between Adelaide, Darwin and Kununurra, averaging more than 7000km a week on the road.
Eventually she took a job with Northern Territory Freight Service (NTFS), where she remained until her retirement in 2014.
NTFS was originally owned by the Scott Group of Companies and Ms Bierwirth cites Allan Scott AO as someone she always admired.
“Scott’s has done a lot for the industry and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work for them,” she said.
“The last truck I ever drove was a new T909 Kenworth with the Scott’s logo written across the top.
“I picked it up from Ray Scott in Mount Gambier with my partner John and I felt incredibly lucky to be driving it.”
Looking back on her trucking career, Ms Bierwirth recalled a lot of memories of her time.
“I was once doing my usual trip between Adelaide and Darwin when an eagle smashed into my side mirror,” she said.
“I kept going anyway and then on my way back down a brolga took out my other mirror.
“I had to drive the rest of the way home without either of them and although I was a bit nervous at the time, it turned into a great story to tell.”
At 72 years of age, Ms Bierwirth wishes she was still working, but unfortunately a fall injured her spine, in addition to being diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
While she can no longer get out on the road as a driver, Ms Bierwirth now hopes to speak to women in the trucking industry and encourage them to work their hardest.
“I think it would be nice to be someone they could chat to about the industry,” she said.
“It is obviously pretty heavily dominated by men, but us girls work just as hard and there are a few of us out there.
“I want to keep doing my part for something that has done so much for me.”
Although she is passionate about the industry, Ms Bierwirth’s number one priority will now be spending time with her two sons, Mark and Christian and her grandchildren.
“After spending so many years on the road, I have not had enough time with my family,” she said.
“I have grandchildren and it will be amazing to watch them grow now I have plenty of spare time on my hands.
“I am also taking my first holiday in my life later this year, which I am really excited about.”
