Working alongside Brisbane Isuzu Archerfield, Orange Sky has built a robust and reliable vehicle fleet for the unique conditions found in remote Australia.
Orange Sky’s model mix for its remote operations is predominantly built upon the Isuzu NNR 45-150 model, a chassis specifically chosen to operate under the critical 4, 500-kilogram Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) threshold.
This strategic specification ensures the vehicles remain accessible to a wide pool of potential operators by requiring only a standard car license to operate — a crucial logistical factor.
The NNR’s payload capacity provides the necessary thresholds to carry the weight of the custom rear fit-out, which includes six commercial appliances, a comprehensive hot water system, and a heavy-duty off-grid power solution.
The not-for-profit is well known around Australia for its free mobile laundries that assist people doing it tough, whether that be rough sleepers, folks in community housing with no access to laundry facilities, or those picking up the pieces following natural disasters.
Launched by 20-year-old mates Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett out of a suburban garage in Brisbane in 2014, the service offers more than just laundry facilities on the go.
They noticed that there was more they could be doing to assist people in the time it took for the laundry cycle to run, so the friends, come co-founders, began striking-up conversations with those accessing the service, to start meaningful chats and build community connections.
In 2017, Orange Sky had an opportunity to be part of a young leaders’ program that took them into regional and remote communities across Queensland to strategise ways to take their mobile service and apply it to the specific needs of those communities.
Off the back of that program, it became clear that there were two critical factors that demanded a different approach.
Orange Sky required a more robust and reliable transport solution than their two-wheel drive delivery vans that typically service the metropolitan areas. Specifying the right vehicle would in theory offer more payload, while still being drivable on a standard car licence.
While Orange Sky services operating in metro Australia relies on a dedicated roster of volunteers, for their remote operations, the teams are sourced from the First Nations candidates residing there and employed by Orange Sky to drive the Isuzu trucks and operate the laundry services.
“In our discussions, there was a strong desire for meaningful employment in these areas, so we trialled an employment program in both the Lockhart River region and on Palm Island and had great success, said Orange Sky’s Senior Impact Manager, First Nations Communities, Judith Meiklejohn.
“People love the work, they love that it’s a meaningful, impactful job that helps their communities practically. Importantly, there’s a real sense of ownership. Owning what the service looks like in their community and the impact it has.”
Before the washing machines can be filled with suds and soap, a research period gives the staff time to assess the lay of the land−sometimes quite literally−to figure out with the community the best locations to add to the roster.
“Owning a washing machine in remote communities can be a significant challenge due to the difficulties of having them delivered as well as environmental factors that make them wear out faster,” said Meiklejohn.
“It takes time to understand each individual remote community, how they operate, who are the influential people and what is the best strategy to deliver the service. This is why partnering with community-controlled organisations is key to our success. We also connect with other organisations that provide public health and wellbeing programs and services for the remote communities, and it takes time to establish those relationships.
“We then spend a few weeks working in the community, training new staff and working out the schedule so we can reach as many people as possible. We provide ongoing training for our staff in remote communities and support them from our Brisbane head office.”
Powering these mobile hubs is the Isuzu 4JJ1-TCS engine, a 3.0L turbo-diesel intercooled powerplant delivering 110kW (150PS) and 375Nm of torque.
It provides ample performance for both highway transit to remote locations and the low-speed, high-torque demands of community work, paired with the user-friendly operation of Isuzu’s 6-speed automated manual transmission (AMT).
Beyond the driveline, the inherent safety features of the Isuzu NNR platform are another key asset.
Equipped with some crucial systems for the operating environment, including Anti-lock Brakes (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), operators have confidence and security when navigating diverse and often challenging outback roads.
“There’s been a really strong connection and familiarity with the Orange Sky Isuzu trucks…they look beautiful and they’re certainly eye-catching on the road,” Meiklejohn said.
“The on-road visibility is fantastic, which is an important factor for the locations in which they operate. The layout in the cab is super accessible and easy to operate whether that is figuring out the wind screen wipers or the indicators or the headlights.
“The trucks are robust and don’t have any issues with the payload for the laundry facilities out the back.”
The ongoing support from Brisbane Isuzu Archerfield and Fleet Sales Manager, David Gibson, has meant that no matter where an Orange Sky truck is, aftersales support is available.
This comes in the form of timely access to Isuzu genuine parts anywhere in the country,
“Ordering Isuzu parts, whether it is a replacement side mirror or window glass that has been damaged, has always been straight forward with Brisbane Isuzu Archerfield, they go over and above to assist us,” said Orange Sky’s Asset Operations Specialist, Anthony Parke.
“We had a passenger window that got broken on the road and the team at Brisbane Isuzu Archerfield packaged up the replacement window in timber so it could be shipped to the remote community without damage – to be installed there!
“The whole team go above and beyond to get these parts in these remote communities.”
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