A trip to remember

The National Road Transport Museum incorporates the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame, Kenworth Dealer Hall of Fame, Old Ghan Train Museum and RSL Military Museum in Alice Springs.

They aim to be truly representative of Australia's road transport industry - covering all sectors of industry and all areas of Australia.

The Shell Rimula Wall of Fame’s objective is to highlight the contribution that road transport, as an industry, has made to the economic wellbeing of Australia through the development of our wealth producing industries and the ingenuity of our trucking pioneers.

A lifetime in the transport industry has seen Mr McKean experience many ups and downs, including being abducted at gun point.

“My rock during this time was my psychologist, Geoff Woods,” he said.

“He has seen me go through every emotion you could think of after my near death experience that still has effect to this day.

“I had another episode in Forbes after I went back to driving trucks. Someone was trying to break into my truck while I was asleep.

“I went from Forbes to Melbourne in my jocks. I didn’t want to stop, I didn’t want to get out.

“I went to Mr Woods and he helped me out again.”

With all that now behind him, his trip to Alice Springs was the perfect ending to his career that he loved.

While being inducted Mr McKean also experienced tours, visits to Simpson’s Gap and Stanley Chasm and a breakfast with the other inductees.

“I found the history of the museum amazing,” he said.

“Also the different eras of trucks and drivers from the early days right through to now.”

Mr McKean met some “interesting people”, including a couple who were there to visit their son’s memorial after he passed in a trucking accident.

“When they were reading out my story, my mind was racing thinking do I deserve this or not?

“The girl that read it out gave me a hug and said how amazing my story was and then I was chuffed.”

There were 70 awards presented on the day, some posthumous.

Photos of inductees remain in the main hall for a year and then find a permanent spot in the Hall of Fame area.

Mr McKean was also presented with a Community Recognition Statement by Helen Dalton MP.

He said the recent awards make him “extremely proud”.

“It was wonderful to be nominated and to be presented (with the awards). It is something for my kids, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to know about me.”