O’Connors Carrying in Tweed marks 75 year milestone with Open Day supporting driver with multiple sclerosis (MS)
A North Coast haulage company is marking 75 years by backing a popular driver going through a life-changing health battle. Find out more.
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A northern NSW trucking company is celebrating an epic 75 years in business and remains in the same family to this day.
However, Tweed’s O’Connors Carrying Services – founded by Bill O’Connor Senior in 1948 – is more interested in another concern at the moment.
An Open Day fundraiser to support MS Australia and multiple sclerosis research will be held on October 7 after dedicated driver and family man Dan Bloomfield was recently diagnosed.
“He is only 35 years old,” co-owner Sue O’Connor said.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults and there is currently no cure.
Genetic and environmental factors have been shown to contribute to its development, but there is no known single cause.
Ms O’Connor said: “We are hoping to raise some funds to help change that outcome and find a cure.”
The Open Day will raise funds while acting as a chance to mark the anniversary milestone.
The event featuring truck tours, a jumping castle, face painting, a sausage sizzle and more will be held at O’Connors Carrying Depot at 67-69 Quarry Rd, Murwillumbah from 12-3pm
More than 70 years ago, Mr O’Connor Snr launched the business which now has about 30 trucks and 35 workers, from the rear of his family home in Murwillumbah.
He originally took freight from Murwillumbah Good Rail to businesses across the Tweed and was also the local Tristrams soft drink agent, making deliveries.
Wife Joyce and their 10 children helped deliver to local corner stores and sporting events.
O’Connors Carrying boomed and expanded over the years and in 1989 it moved to its current Quarry Rd location.
Contracts with Tooheys, bulk rubbish removal, home grocery deliveries and running a transport depot were all part of the growth.
The business snapped up Pottsville Trucking in 1995 and Byron Bay Transport in 2015.
But it was hit hard by floods in 2017 and last year, like many Northern Rivers operators.
Murwillumbah and the wider region was struck by what was then thought of as a once-in-a-lifetime flood that consumed the town in 2017.
“The aftermath of the 2017 flood led to a large clean-up of the depot and significant damage sustained to equipment and stock,” Ms O’Connor said.
Still reeling from Cyclone Debbie, along came the 2022 floods.
“The 2022 flood peaked 200mm higher than the 2017 flood,” Ms O’Connor said.
She said the disaster failed to “dampen their Murwillumbah spirit” and the mammoth clean up effort began once again.
“Sadly for many, it was quite literally a “rinse and repeat” exercise,” Ms O’Connor said.
“Mother Nature has sent not one, but two once-in-a-lifetime floods to Murwillumbah in the last five years which the town has rallied together and overcome.
“O’Connors have been hit hard with the 2017 and 2022 flood and have risen above the mess and kept on going, so we want to say thank you to the town.”
“It’s not only recognising the journey that the Carrying Services has, but to support and acknowledge the journey that Dan is about to start,” Ms O’Connor said.
An indispensable stalwart within the Tweed Shire, O’Connors Carrying now runs 30 trucks with 35 staff to deliver locally and daily from Brisbane to Sydney.
The open day is on Saturday, October 7 from 12-3pm at 67 Quarry Road, Murwillumbah.
The event includes a sausage sizzle, raffles, face painting, jumping castle, kids activities, truck access, replica cars, “Mack” truck, slushies, fairy floss, popcorn, and coffee.
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