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Family celebrates 50 years of trucking

To achieve 50 years in business is a major accomplishment by any measure. To have survived the ups and downs of the highly-competitive road transport industry is certainly a reason for celebration.

By Latrobe City Council - 2nd October 2003 - Back to News

Latrobe City Investment Manager, Leo Billington, said that Moe-based family business, George Wyke and Sons was established in June 1953, as one of Gippsland’s original road transport companies.

"Today, it continues to thrive by concentrating on its long established core activity, furniture removals, as well as carrying general freight," Mr Billington explained.

To say that George and Veronica Wyke started the business in humble circumstances is making rather a modest statement. When asked about her memories, Mrs Wyke recalled the early years.

"We had one truck, a secondhand Chevrolet, lived in a two bedroom house and converted the bathroom into an office. I answered the phone, did the bookwork and raised 5 children, while doing my housework somewhere in-between," Mrs Wyke recalled.

"The Chev was our big investment and it doubled as the family car when time allowed for the occasional outing," Mrs Wyke said. "Even then, all the kids from around the neighbourhood came too."

According to Mr Billington, it was George’s foresight that set the business in motion.

"Originally from England, George Wyke arrived in Moe to live, following Royal Air Force service in World War 2 and then cutting timber in Canada. With Moe’s post-war growth being driven by a growing power industry, George seized on the looming business opportunities that presented themselves. Identifying a need for a furniture removals and taxi truck operation, the old Chev soon became a familiar sight in Moe," Mr Billington explained.

"Winning a contract for cartage from the Moe railhead to all areas surrounding Moe provided great stability for the business. It was during the 1960’s and into the next decade that this work mainly involved deliveries of general freight, particularly to Moe’s supermarkets and hotels and the now familiar orange and green trucks became a regular feature in Moe’s central business area," Mr Billington added.

"Household removals were still the company’s mainstay and soon a new warehouse was sited in Wirraway Street. At this time, George’s two sons, Tony and John joined the business," Mr Billington said.

"When Tony took over in 1984, the business continued to expand, particularly into containerised storage and interstate transport which are the keystones of the business today," Mr Billington continued.

Today, the business is still a true family concern with Tony’s sons, Adam and Matt, now actively involved in the daily management. Veronica still maintains a keen interest in the company’s progress, a supportive role since George’s death in 1998.

Tony remembered his father as a "ball of muscle". "In those early years, he made many of his own trolleys, particularly for shifting pianos because there was nothing more suitable. The trolley wheels were wooden with a strip of tyre tread. He also built the backs of the vans from plywood and tin," Tony recalled.

"Besides cotton for the Rocklea Mill and paper from Maryvale, we have shifted groceries, housing materials, livestock, boats, beer, drilling equipment to Walhalla, heaps of furniture and we even arranged for furniture to be delivered overseas to Malta, Germany, England and New Zealand.

"One memorable load was a family with all their furniture, together with goats and chickens and gallons of home brewed grappa who relocated to Melbourne. With a very full and crowded van and everything swinging along for three hours, it was quite an experience," Tony said.

According to Mr Billington, over the past 50 years some vital business lessons have been learnt by the Wyke family.

"George was a lateral thinker and kept making modifications to make his strenuous work much easier. He was a strong believer in punctuality, never became frustrated in front of customers and was determined to build strong, enduring customer relationships. George believed that without integrity, you are nothing," Mr Billington explained.

"Being able to celebrate 50 years in business is testimony to the Wyke family’s commitment to growing a business on its merits.

"George started the business from scratch and we will continue to grow the tradition. George’s legacy is not forgotten." Tony concluded.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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