Happy Birthday Conroy
When your birthday comes around you hope and pray for awesome presents. So when Conroy Removals turned 50 they were absolutely blown away with the incredible gift they received from one of their longstanding employees.
Conroy Remov- als as we see it today dates back to 1972, where a 21-year-old David Conroy was looking for an opportuni- ty to start out in the transport industry. David approached a local Napier-based furni- ture removal contractor. A little negotiation and some financial support from his mother, and David purchased the business complete with one petrol-powered D Series Ford.
Eighteen months later a second truck was purchased, a TK Bedford. At this time, David’s brother Gary joined the business as a partner and started driving the TK. These early days for the business had the brothers driving country-wide, moving families and businesses, all the while Mum was back at home base manning the phone and looking after administration. Fifty years on, Conroy Removals now employs nearly 350 team members across twelve branches throughout New Zealand and Australia. A true Kiwi business success story that has been built on strong family values by both David and Gary.
One of those team members is our friend Doug Elliott. Some readers will remember Doug from the story we featured in the February 2022 issue of New Zealand Trucking magazine. In that story, we featured the Alf Walling Mack replicas that Doug had scratch built. Well we are treated once again, as this month we look at three of Doug’s latest builds. Chatting with Doug we learn that he has been with Conroy’s for the best part of 34 years. He has loved every minute of working for the family. “They are an awesome company to work for, you definitely feel that you are a part of the family, and not just another cog in the gearbox,” says Doug. So for Doug, when the idea of a 50th birthday celebration was discussed, there was only one thing for it – head to the workshop and replicate some of those great Conroy memories as a lasting gift to the family.
Wonderful Watermelon
This quick and easy recipe makes fresh and delicious watermelon juice at home with just one fresh ingredient — watermelon!
Ingredients
Watermelon – that’s it!
Method
Cube the watermelon and discard the peel.
Put the cut up watermelon into a blender and blend on low speed.
Strain through a fine- mesh sieve and serve cold.
Berry Infused Water
Sometimes water can be a bit boring. Try adding some flavour to your water with some delicious fruit. You can use any fruit, but today we’re trying berries!
Ingredients:
Handful strawberries
Handful raspberries
Handful blueberries
One lemon, sliced
Method:
Gently wash the raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.
Slice up the strawberries.
Drop the fruit into a glass bottle or jug a few pieces at a time, alternating between fruits so that they are well mixed.
Fill the bottle to the top with cold water.
Leave to infuse for 10 minutes then serve over ice and enjoy!
Once the water has all been drunk, you can continue to fill and refill the fruit-filled jug all day long.
Keep it in the fridge to keep it chilled.
Egg Salad
This egg salad tastes wonderful in a sandwich. It’s really good on nice brown bread.
Ingredients
• Two slices of fresh, brown bread
• Two hard boiled eggs, chopped (ask Mum or Dad to help)
• One tablespoons mayonnaise
• One gherkin or pickle, finely chopped
• Half a teaspoon fresh dill
• Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1) In a bowl, combine your hard boiled eggs, mayonnaise, gherkin and dill in a bowl.
2) Season with salt and pepper
3) Place the filling on the first slice of bread, topping with the second slice.
4) Cut in half and enjoy with some sliced cucumbers, celery and carrot sticks
Tomato and Avo Bagels
Bagels are a delicious option for a sandwich, enjoyed toasted in slices or pressed together.
Ingredients
- One bagel, sliced
- Two tablespoons hummus
- Half avocado, sliced
- One tomato, sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Toast each slice of bagel until golden brown
- Spread each slice with humus
- Top with slice avocado and tomato
- Salt and pepper to taste
PB & J
Peanut butter and jam sammies are a sweet, savoury delight, perfect for a quick bite and loved by children and adults alike.
Ingredients
- Two slices of fresh, white bread
- One tablespoon peanut butter, or alternative nut butter of your choosing
- One tablespoon of your favourite jam – try strawberry, grape or raspberry
Method
- Place your two slices of bread on a chopping board or plate
- Spread one slice with peanut butter
- Spread jam on the other slice
- Place the two slices together
- Cut in half or in squares *top tip* Try adding slices of banana or strawberry in your sandwich!
BLT Classic
The delicious bacon, lettuce and tomato classic sandwich that can be changed up to suit your tastes. Try some turkey instead of bacon for a healthy twist.
Ingredients
- Two slices of bread of your choosing
- Four rashers bacon, cooked until crisp
- Two tomatoes, thickly sliced
- Handful iceberg lettuce, washed and dried
- Two tablespoon mayonnaise
Method
- Spread each slice of bread with some mayonnaise
- On one slice, add your bacon, sliced tomatoes and lettuce
- Top with remaining slice of bread
Enjoy!
The great big drive
Our Aussie reporter Mike shows us the spectacular drive from Sydney to Perth.
Name: Mike Williams
From: Sydney, New South Wales
A bit about me: I’m a full-time truck driver, part-time podcaster and writer and a frustrated chef! My favourite drink is coffee and my favourite food is lemon tart.
Favourite truck: Got to be the Kenworth T909
I spent several years driving across Australia from Sydney to Perth and back. Three and a half years of it with my Rose and our pup Ollie. Eight thousand kilometres per week. That’s a total of about 1.5 million kilometres!
We drove this awesome big cab Kenworth K200, which we lovingly referred to as Angela. She was well set up for the run too. As well as a comfy bed, we had a fridge and a freezer plus a microwave. She even had a toilet! A massive 600hp series 2 Cummins driving an 18-speed Fuller Road Ranger transmission kept us trucking along towing a B Double set of Freighter drop deck chiller tautliner trailers.
Our run started in Sydney on Monday night about 8:30pm. We drove down to Wagga Wagga and then across NSW through to Yamba in South Australia. Ollie loved to get there because the roadhouse girls always had a sausage or two they’d done for him while we filled the truck with diesel. Next stop, Port Augusta late Tuesday afternoon for a shower and a meal. Then on to Penong for more fuel. She got a bit thirsty and that’s the last place we could fill before the long haul across the Nullarbor into Western Australia. A quick stop at the quarantine facility on the WA/SA border and then a stop at Cocklebiddy for Wednesday morning breakfast. More sausages for Ollie! He was a spoiled pup. Then it’s the run all the way to Perth, getting there around 7pm. A night off while our trailers were unloaded then a quick reload in the morning and it’s off back to Sydney getting home Saturday morning.
It was a lot of fun and we saw some great sights every week. Beautiful scenery, dawns and sunsets. Looking out the windscreen is a great place to be.
Billy's bulldozer
Dustin heads out with Billy to pick up a new bulldozer
Name: Dustin
Age: 13
From: Hawarden, North Canterbury
Can be found in a: K200
One overcast afternoon I got a call from Billy Lott of Lott Contracting, a company started by Billy’s dad in 1957.
He was getting ready to go pick up his new bulldozer. He picked me up on the way in, we got to Rolleston and went to the John Deere dealership.
We went around the back, and there it was waiting for us. It looked really cool. We loaded it up, and got on the road, with a pilot vehicle driving in front of us. We had all the flashing lights on.
We were heading for home and had just got off the motorway when the truck cut out, and then the ABS fell out of the trailer and they were sparking, so we lost the power in the truck.
We got it all fixed and then carried on, and when we got to Amberley we stopped and had a pie. Billy’s favourite pie shop is Wakefield Bakery – Billy loves pies!
We got back to the yard at midnight, so we went home and went to bed. In the morning, we unloaded the bulldozer, and then we had to fix some small oil leaks.
After we loaded up the bulldozer, we took it to its first job. We dropped it off then went back to the yard and dropped off the truck.
The bulldozer weighed 28 tonnes. Billy’s dad Dave is 92 years old and still drives bulldozers. Billy got his bull bar custom made from Whites Bull Bars in Melbourne, Australia.
Thanks to everyone at Lott Contracting for making my time there very enjoyable.
Off for a ride
Our mate Jacob is a member of Team Quality Supertruck Racing, who recently took part at a Thunder Down Under racing event in Timaru. Jacob takes people on trips in his own little truck – and donates the money he receives to help animals!
On the Friday of the racing at Timaru, I cleaned my truck to get it ready for rides. I take kids for rides in my truck and all the money I get, I get to give it to the SPCA because I like to help animals.
I have 21 chickens and four sheep and a dog called Carly.
When I was doing rides, there was a policeman. He pulled me over and asked me for my drivers licence. Sorry Mr Policeman, I don’t have a licence but I am a really good driver – and I don’t drive my little truck on the road! He said I am a fantastic driver.
When my dad comes in off the truck, I get him a drink and give it to him when the truck is parked. I also love helping my grandad clean the BBQ and get it ready for making dinner.
The racing was at the Levels International Raceway in Timaru. My dad came third in the race – I am so proud of him.
Our whole team raced for Carl Gibson, who recently passed away. He drove the L&P truck that towed the race truck, the Panther, to all of the meetings. I miss him, he was my friend.
When all the racing was finished, my friend Payton asked all the super trucking drivers to get in my little truck and I took them all for a ride. I think the truck was a bit overloaded!
Come along to a meeting sometime and I’ll take you for a ride!
