Truck Features

Haulin’ The Hume 2023

The annual nostalgic run down Sesame Street by yesteryear’s trucks always attracts spectators from all over the country. The sad thing for most of us at Historic Vehicles is that we can remember driving these truck models when they were brand new!

This year’s event was covered by a very soggy Simon Martin, who usually describes himself as, just some prick with a flash camera. Despite his expectation that HV management would take all the credit and afford him no praise, here’s his story and photos:

It was almost sleepy time on Friday night, 24th March, when the phone rang. I picked it up to see who would be ringing me at this hour and the name on the screen said it was Bloody Whiting, so I picked up and heard his dulcet tones:

“Errrrrrr Whiting here!: are you are still taking a few pics for HV tomorrow like you said you would?”

My reply was: “Yes my lord: your wish is my command and it shall be done.”

There was a rumble in the air on Saturday 25th March and it wasn’t the thunder from the overhead clouds; nor was the smell in the air ozone from the lightning that was about to zap from the sky above the NSW Southern Highlands.

No, it was evidence that the Big Bangers of yesteryear, with their big exhaust stack roar and the smell of burning oil and diesel were already thundering down Sesame Street in the event known as Haulin’ the Hume 2023.

Haulin’ the Hume is a mobile vintage truck show that has been running since 2012. The trucks travel as much as possible of the old route that the original Hume Highway used to follow south from Sydney: through Camden; up over Razorback, past the site of the infamous 1979 Truckies’ Blockade; into Picton and through the Hole in the Wall (the brick railway underpass); on to Bargo, Yanderra and Mittagong; up the steep Bendooley Hill into Berrima.

From there it’s a short dash along the newish highway to Goulburn for a quick lunch stop; then on to Yass, following as much of the old road as they can.

The event is organised by Western Sydney Historical Truck Club and the truckies come from far and wide to join in the fun and camaraderie.

They also raise a bit of money for Autism charity. In 2023, 273 historic trucks and buses entered the run and raised more than sixteen hundred bucks to help autism research.

I think I photographed every truck and bus, however, it’s almost a tradition for the weather to conspire against Haulin’ The Hume and the 2023 event was no exception. It fair piddled down all night and most of the morning, turning the lunch venue at the Goulburn Showgrounds into quagmire. Despite that, everyone seemed to have a good time and promised to be back next time.

So will Historic Vehicles.