Dick Smith behind new drive to donate Len Beadell’s Gunbarrel Hwy-building bulldozer to Alice Springs

A big-name Dick is behind a drive for the Red Centre capital to house an iconic ‘dozer – and he’s calling on the Territory government to get on board. Find out more.

Doug Stoneham, the original dozer driver, back behind the controls of it in 2004. Australian businessman Dick Smith is behind a new drive to donated the dozer to the Road Transport Hall of Fame museum in Alice Springs, as is calling on the NT government to step up match his donation to house the dozer. Picture: Supplied

Australian businessman Dick Smith is rising up for Alice Springs with a plan to house a historic ‘dozer in the Road Transport Hall of Fame museum as a new attraction.

Mr Smith wants the Territory government to match his proposed donation of $50,000 to the Alice Springs Road Transport Hall of Fame museum to build a new shed and display for the iconic ‘dozer.

Mr Smith is in possession of Len Beadell’s bulldozer – an iconic part of Australian history, he said, as it was used to build the Gunbarrel Hwy in the 1950s.

The iconic D8 dozer at the end of construction for the Gunbarrel Hwy. Picture: Supplied

“It’s an incredibly important Australian artefact for patriots,” he said.

“I was looking at putting it in the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, but after looking at Woomera, South Australia, the Road Transport Museum in South Australia, and then looking at the Road Transport Museum in Alice Springs, I decided the best place would be in Alice Springs.

“I love Alice Springs – even though I live in Sydney, Alice Springs is my favourite inland country town and I think it will bring lots of people there to see the bulldozer.”

Mr Smith said he’s written to both the Territory government and the Road Transport Museum in Alice Springs with his proposal, but was yet to hear back.

He said if the parties accept, he will help organise the ‘dozer to head to the Red Centre, believing it could make it to the Territory as early as next year.

“We’re hoping we can get a volunteer who would take it there – I’ll pay for fuel,” he said.

The Gunbarrel Hwy was built by surveyor Len Beadell, with Doug Stoneham driving the iconic D8 bulldozer and carving out the 1,350km of road through the interior of the country.

Australian business man Dick Smith and original Gunbarrel Hwy bulldozer driver Doug Stoneham in the original bulldozer used to build the highway. Picture: Supplied

The highway connects Victory Downs station in the NT, and runs through SA before ending WA.

In support of the D8 was a grader, now housed at the Giles weather station in Warrakurna, WA, while the ‘dozer itself was lost for a number of years, sitting on a property in WA until Mr Smith purchased it.

He discovered the grader flying around Australia in his helicopter, Mr Smith said, and later made inquiries to find the ‘dozer.

Finding it, Mr Smith brought back to his property in NSW, “conserved” it, and now wants it to get to Alice Springs, he said.

Mr Beadell died in 1995, but was awarded a British Empire Medal for his work on the highway after it was completed.

NT Treasurer Bill Yan said the Territory government “appreciates” Mr Smith’s proposal.

“Given the significant legacy of Len’s work building Gunbarrel Highway and the potential value of this bulldozer to both the museum and local tourism industry, I will consider Dick’s proposal and contact him soon to further discuss it,” Mr Yan said.

Originally published as Dick Smith behind new drive to donate Len Beadell’s Gunbarrel Hwy-building bulldozer to Alice Springs