When keen truckers found out the Koroit Truck Show would not go ahead this year, they reached out to the event's former president and said 'surely you can do something Shirl?'.
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And something he did with Shirl McCosker organising a close to 300-kilometre convoy to celebrate the trucking industry.
Drivers departed Melbourne on Saturday morning and stopped in at Geelong, Colac, Camperdown, Mortlake and Warrnambool.
The convoy ended at Koroit's Victoria Park where the town's beloved truck show should have been held for the 12th consecutive year.
Organisers made the call to cancel the event in October last year, citing complications around COVID-19 restrictions and continued uncertainty caused by the pandemic as the reasons behind the decision.
Thousands attended the event in January 2020.
Mr McCosker said the convoy was not an event but a way for people to celebrate the trucking industry in a COVID-safe way.
The former show president moved to Melbourne last year after more than a decade at the helm.
He said when organisers pulled the pin on this year's event due to the pandemic, he received a number of calls from concerned locals.
"A few people rang me and said 'surely you can do something Shirl?'", Mr McCosker said.
"I said 'I don't know' and rang (Moyne Shire mayor) Daniel Meade and asked him about a convoy, which was accepted under the COVID guidelines."
Mr McCosker said truckers stopped in at a number of south-west businesses on the way for a pie, a can of coke and a parma.
"There's a lot of businesses across the south-west that have been really supportive of the show so it's only fair that we go back and say thank you," he said.
"It's been a tough year for everyone and it's great to give something back to businesses who have supported us for so many years."
Moyne Shire mayor Daniel Meade congratulated the Koroit Truck Show committee for organising the convoy.
"It's terrific to see one of our many great events in Moyne still going ahead, even if it is different to its usual format," he said.
"Our truckies play such an important role in Moyne and the local agricultural industry, and the truck show is a great way of celebrating their contribution. We look forward to the return of the usual Koroit Truck Show in 2022."
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