Ride along on “The East Coaster run with Kingbars” – a road trip from Tasmania’s transport hub in Devonport to the far reaches of Mount Garnet in Queensland. Along the way, we meet the operators who face constant wildlife strikes, unpredictable weather, and the toughest road conditions Australia can throw at them. Their common safeguard? Kingbars bullbars – built to take the hits, protect the load, and keep the wheels turning. This is the story of real-world protection, proven across thousands of kilometres on Australia’s East Coast.

In this episode of Six Foot Behind the Bullbar, we fire up the time machine and roll back to 1996 with a legendary story by Howard “Shanksie” Shanks — first published in Truckin’ Life magazine (Vol. 19, No. 10).

Trucking Through the Last Frontier follows Andrew Hickey’s brand-new Kenworth T950 as it takes on the wilds of outback Queensland. Thirty years later, a phone call from Andrew sparked the revival of this iconic yarn — complete with crocodile encounters, red dirt roads, and big horsepower in the bush.

Resurrected from the archives with original slides and fresh audio, this episode is a tribute to a golden era of Australian trucking — where grit, machines, and mateship got the job done.

📸 See original photos and read the full article at roadtrains.com.au

🎯 Tags:
Kenworth T950, Australian Trucking, Road Trains, Truckin Life Magazine, Howard Shanks, Outback Trucking, Remote Haulage, Trucking Stories, Heavy Transport History, Truck Photography, Long Haul Driving, Northern Territory, Gulf Country, Crocodile Encounter, Classic Trucks, Trucking Legends

📢 Hashtags:
#KenworthT950 #RoadTrains #AustralianTrucking #TruckingPodcast #TruckinLife #OutbackTruckin #TruckStories #HeavyHaulage #HowardShanks #SixFootBehindTheBullbar #ClassicTrucks #TruckPhotos #BigRigs #TruckingLegends #RealTruckinStories #RoadtrainsAustralia #BrownandHurley 

In this episode of Six Foot Behind the Bullbar, we hit the backroads to meet four logging operators running the smartest, toughest trailers in the bush — all built right here in Australia by Elphinstone Engineering.

From self-steering dog trailers to rapid-loading B-Doubles and Long Loggers that haul 19-metre timber with precision, these trailers are redefining what’s possible in modern log haulage.

We ride along with the men behind the wheel and take a close look at the technology that’s helping them haul more efficiently, more safely, and with less wear and tear.

Strap in as this week’s episode of Six‑Foot Behind the Bull Bar tears into the cutting-edge world of heavy haulage, showcasing the mighty Scania R770 V8 in action. We dive into the story behind D&P Solutions' R770 8×4 prime mover and its custom 5R8 Linkwing trailer — and why this duo is shaking up Australia’s megaproject logistics scene 

From its ferocious 770hp, 16.4‑litre V8 engine churning out 3,700 Nm of torque, to the slick 16‑speed Opticruise gearbox with multiple reverse gears — every spec is a testament to engineered might and clever design. We unpack how hub‑reduction tandem drive axles, diff locks and advanced traction systems let this rig haul road‑headers up steep grades and through mud without drama 

We also talk fuel economy, decoding how this monster averages between 1.2 km/L to 1.4 km/L on long hauls from Brisbane to Sydney — a big deal when you’re hauling 130‑tonne loads across remote terrain

Plus, we’ll discuss why owner Deirdre Young describes the R770 as a “hamburger with the lot” — featuring built‑in shower, Starlink, fridge and generator — and why it took more than two years to perfect every detail before delivery.

Tune in for:

• A technical deep dive into R770’s V8 power and emissions‑compliant Euro 6 setup
• How diff‐lock, traction control, hill‑hold and retarder systems work together to keep this giant in control
• Tales of Australia’s tunnelling boom and what it’s doing for heavy haulage operators
• Behind‑the‑scenes of spec’ing one of the most capable Scania rigs in the Southern Hemisphere

Ready for horsepower, engineering brilliance, and haulage stories like no other? Jump in six‑feet behind the bull bar and let’s roll.

👉 Be sure to visit roadtrains.com.au to read the full stories and check out photos of the trucks featured in each episode.