Enthusiastic driver Scott ‘Chub’ Hawker looks set to spend the remainder of his working life as a truckie.
When Big Rigs saw the 37-year-old recently, he was tending to a trailer at the Townsville Port Access Road pad.
“I have been a truck driver since I was 22 and can’t see that changing as I love the job,” he said.
“I have delivered a load of fuel from Townsville to Bowen which is about 200km south, down the Bruce Highway and now I am doing local work,” he said.
I asked Hawker under what circumstances he was given the nickname of Chub.
“It was some years ago up at Innisfail when a fellow walked in carrying bananas and he called me Chub because I am a big bloke and it has stuck like glue. A lot of people wouldn’t know my full name,” he said.
Hawker rates the western Flinders Highway between Hughenden and Cloncurry and the Gregory Development Road along the Charters Towers to Clermont route as the worst he gets along.
“They are both very rough in places,” he said.
Stop-offs Hawker rates highly are the Torren’s Creek Hotel out west and the Belyando Roadhouse along the Gregory Development Road.
“They both look after us drivers and the Torren’s Creek Hotel has a truck room as well,” he said.
Over the years several truckies who have stopped off at the Torren’s Creek have claimed a Yowie or hairy man creature inhabits the nearby Burra Range and has been seen late at night.
“No, I haven’t seen that or even heard about it,” Hawker said.
Originally from Victoria, Hawker arrived in Queensland 15 years ago and previously worked for Direct Haulage for almost five years.
“I have been with this company for some time and they are good,” he said.
Nuggety Hawker stands at 173cm tall and said that was neither an advantage or disadvantage in his job.
His favourite meal is chicken parmigiana and outside work when he gets days off Hawker will sit and enjoy a coldie at the aptly named Watermark Hotel, along Townsville Strand.
From there patrons can enjoy a scenic view of the blue Pacific Ocean with Magnetic Island in the distance.
His other recreation is his trusty Harley motorbike which he does the odd tour on with other bike riders.
“I am also into caravans and might do some travelling in one later on,” he said.
Hawker has some impressive tattoos too.