Thousands of eager truck enthusiasts made the pilgrimage along the South West Highway on Sunday for the WA Mack Muster and Truck Show at Quarry Farm.
Event organisers were anticipating around 300 big rigs and around 6000 spectators for the biennial event, but it quickly became bigger than Ben-Hur.
The event drew 320 trucks from every corner of the country, and over 8000 people came to see them, raising over $200,000 for the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research to help find a cure for cancer.
The atmosphere was charged, especially at 11am and 1pm when all the big rigs collectively roared into life, horns blaring, sending anyone silly enough to find themselves in the middle of Mac Alley without earmuffs running for cover.
The remote-controlled mini macs were a huge hit with young and old alike. And so were Sludge and The Phantom (from Outback Truckers fame), who made their triumphant return to public life after Sludge’s accident last year. They had a long line of admirers eagerly waiting for an autograph and a chance to see a legend in the flesh.
When it came to the 2024 winners’ circle, there was a clear theme.
They say it ain’t easy being green, but don’t tell that to the Mac Muster champions.
Ryan Demasi from Bandana Earthmoving won Truck of the Show with his gleaming ‘Bandana green’ and chrome beauty of a Kenworth T904. But Ryan wasn’t done yet. He had an absolute day of it, raking in Best Western Star of the Show and Best Tipper with his snake-adorned personal favourite.
Mario Giacci from MGM took out the award for Best Vintage Mack of the show for his green machine.
Nathan and Emma from West Oz Custom Trucks just made it to the Mac Muster in time to win Best Kenworth in Show for SR Coyne Contracting with ‘The Major’, a restored T904, in a beautiful shade of green and white with gold trim.
And just to prove that this year was all about Kenworths, Auswide Transport Solutions took out the People’s Choice award for their midnight black pearl T909 ‘Karma’, complete with death flipping the bird from the hood.
