1928 MacRobertson Australian Truck Expedition

 

In 1928 Macrobertson (of chocolate fame) sponsored the first circumnavigation of Australia by truck.


MacRobertson was keen to demonstrate the potential of motor vehicles in the Australian outback and in 1928 he initiated the Round Australia Expedition where an Oldsmobile and two Karrier trucks branded with MacRobertson advertising set out to circumnavigate Australia on 12th May. The expedition left from the steps of Parliament House in Melbourne and returned on 12th September 1928. The trucks were stocked with cinematic equipment to provide locals in remote areas with entertainment and MacRobertson products to capture a new market. Images from the expedition show Indigenous audiences posing with the trucks and MacRobertson confectionary. On board the expedition was an operator from the Amalgamated Wireless Company who broadcast radio shows from each isolated area, providing listeners with a new insight into the Australian outback. The progress of the expedition through each region was documented by ‘The Recorder’ in a segment called ‘Motoring Notes’. The trip demonstrated the feasibility of motor vehicles in the outback, although many pictures document multiple incidents of the trucks getting bogged on unsealed roads.


Does anyone know if either of these Karrier trucks survives? You can see one is a crew cab and the other single cab. On the poster there are two photos of the crew cab.

I like the photo showing them in all their fancy boots, gaiters and puttees while the bogged truck shows them in bare feet with rolled up trousers.


     
 

Now the big question

What would be the interest in recreating this journey about August/September 2025?

I would be happy to organise it (camp sites etc)

Restricted to pre-1945 commercial vehicles. No cars, no camp followers or caravans. If people wanted to motel it OK but any commercial vehicle, even utes, could be set up comfortably without any great expense. I am thinking about 30 vehicles.

An attempt would be made to get non-Victorian vehicles transported to the start and from the finish in Melbourne. Mid-30's to 1945 should have no trouble driving them selves.

Probably have a couple of more modern rescue trucks such as tilt tray or drop deck.

Lang

What a brilliant idea.

Lang clearly hasn't finished being an adventurer.

Whilst I don't own an early commercial I think it would be a life experience.

If you can do it, do it, as you're a long time dead.

You have a year to buy one (with a mate?) and sell it afterward.

1928 was a busy time for outback trucks. The Macrobertson expedition by pure unplanned coincidence ran into the Michael Terry Port Hedland to Melbourne expedition (one going via the big circumnavigation the other going direct through the desert). The two crews had a couple of nights together out of Derby on the Fitzroy River.

Macrobertson has 6 wheeler Karriers and Terry had lighter 6 wheeler Morris (as owned by our forum Morris).

 

What fabulous photos of the two expeditions together. The ute is an Oldsmobile which was the scout car for the Macrobertson Karriers.

   

 

The Karrier brand, based in Huddersfield, was regarded as a good vehicle but never sold in big numbers. They were often chasing municipal orders with multiple oddball designs and including the notable 3 wheel 'Mechanical Horse' which was imitated later by Scammell. They were early developers of six wheelers on pneumatics from about 1927. A development of the initial design was the WO6 as used by Robertson and by this time Karrier were using their own engine. The two trucks were named Burke and Wills and lessons learned were used in developing heavier 6 wheel trucks and passenger vehicles. Karrier did not do well during the depression years and were bought by the Rootes group in 1934 ay which time production was moved to Luton.

Further info: The Karrier WO6 was introduced in 1927, designed to carry 3 tons across country and 5 tons on normal roads (and with an eye to catching military contracts). Wheelbase of 12'6" and 4' bogie wheelbase, most were fitted with a Dorman 4JUL type 30hp 4cly petrol engine with bore & stroke of 100 x 140mm. Both main and auxiliary gearboxes were fitted between clutch and rear axles. Either single or twin rear tyres could be fitted and the WO6 remained in production until early 1930
There is a single 1929 ex military survivor listed in the UK Jenkinson book published in 1977, so more may have surfaced since then.