I was genuinely bowled over by the Truck Drivers’ Memorial in Tarcutta. You won’t see anything like it in the UK.
Set in a peaceful park just off the Hume Highway, it’s a national memorial to Australian truck drivers who’ve lost their lives on the job. Their names are engraved on polished granite walls, and every year, families, friends and fellow drivers gather to remember them.
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It’s beautifully done, dignified, moving, and a powerful reminder of the risks drivers take to keep the country moving. It’s not just a tribute, but a sign of the respect the job commands. That really stayed with me.
Your use of two-way radios is something else too. Barely anyone uses them back home anymore, certainly not outside the quarry or recovery world. But I quickly discovered they’re invaluable in the Outback, and still really useful on the east coast.
Whether it’s calling out overtakes, warning about wildlife, or tipping off others about roadworks or hazards, the CB keeps drivers connected in a way we’ve largely lost in the UK.
Case in point: on the run from Sydney to Melbourne, someone called out, “Double one at the Big Dipper” over the radio. That one bit of chatter probably saved me a ticket. Without it, I’d have had no idea there was a patrol car lurking in the centre reservation.
Speaking of speeding, I was shocked by the tactics used in Victoria. Unlike NSW, where speed cameras are clearly signed, Victoria takes a far sneakier approach. I saw anonymous cars, often unmarked utes or wagons, parked at the roadside with hidden cameras inside.
It feels less about safety and more about revenue collection. In my view, the Victorian method does little to improve road safety, it just catches drivers out and lines the coffers. There’s a big difference between encouraging compliance and setting traps.
Another thing you’ve nailed is licensing. You work your way up – starting with smaller trucks and building experience before moving onto the big gear. It’s structured, sensible, and by the time someone’s in charge of a B-double or road train, they’ve earned it.
In the UK, it’s a different story. Since Covid, you can now go straight from a car licence to a 44-tonne artic with just one test. And incredibly, you don’t even have to reverse in the test.
One thing that really surprised me was discovering that quad road trains, despite their sheer size, aren’t necessarily seen as the pinnacle of truck driving by all. Back home, we’d assume the bigger the rig, the bigger the bragging rights.
But in Australia, I learned that many employers actually place more value on B-double experience, because it means drivers are used to working in tight yards, dealing with traffic, and reversing accurately. It hadn’t crossed my mind before, but once it was explained, it made perfect sense. Out in the bush, you’re mostly driving forward. In the city, you need multiple skills.
