The drivers were friends, colleagues, some just acquaintances – united to pay tribute to Barnawartha man Wayne ‘Marto’ Martin.

The truck driver, who died in a head-on collision with another truck on the Riverina Highway, touched so many people his family had to put a cap on the number of trucks convoying in his honour to the funeral on Saturday.

They came from as far as Yass and Wollongong, joining more than 500 people to send off a “one-in-a-million” bloke at the Chiltern cemetery.

The sight of so many sparkling trucks would have put a smile on Marto’s face, said his former workmate at Dawson’s Haulage, Daniel Chapman.

“We were at the yard at 7 o’clock this morning, but we only finished at 10 o’clock last night getting the trucks clean,” he said. 

“That’s how Marto was, it was always clean and tidy, ‘Everyday is a show day’ is one thing he used to say.”

Fellow Dawson’s driver Shane Mitchell said while Marto was happiest in the wash bay, he was a bloke who scarcely wore a frown – and never at work. 

“It’s like he had an IV line of Red Bull in his system, he was just so happy,” he said. 

“The day before he was killed, a few guys on Snapchat at our yard, would’ve got a Snapchat from him.

“He had his truck backed up to a loading ramp and he’s driving a little excavator on there, having a ball, and he’s saying, ‘I’ll tell you it’s hard out here – I love my job’.”

“That’s why it’s even harder to see someone go like that, because we need more people like him in the industry.

“People who take pride in their appearance, their truck, the way they conduct themselves in and outside of work.

“People like that make you want to better yourself.”

The service was brief – memories and stories of Marto were shared intimately between his friends and family later that afternoon at the Chiltern Football Club.

Wayne’s sisters, Kerrie and Rebecca, shared a poem they wrote with the crowd.

“You were gone so quickly, once last truck ride you’ll take, before you even knew it, you were standing at heaven’s gate,” Kerrie said. 

“Now God has called upon you, time to get your wings, leave this life behind you and enjoy all of heaven’s shining things.”

Shine on Wayne

FEW in the 500-strong crowd at Wayne Martin’s funeral could remember another time when the Chiltern cemetery had been so full. 

His friends and family made sure Saturday was all about Marto – a convoy of trucks let everyone within a 20km radius know too.

Chiltern CFA captain Andrew Walls helped direct the convoy of trucks from Plunketts Road, across the highway and along Chiltern-Barnawartha Road to the Chiltern cemetery. 

“I don’t think I’ve seen anything like this before, not of this magnitude,” he said. 

“They travelled from North Barnawartha in convoy.

“We came on board to help – Marto was a member of the fire brigade for many years.

“He was a tremendous bloke and held in high regard by the fire brigade, and from what you can see today, was held in high regard by the trucking fraternity.”

The 27-year-old truck driver also played for the Chiltern Football club and was known for his dirt biking hobby too.

Celebrant Tony Jones said his parents, Peter and Michelle, had been overwhelmed by the support from the community. 

“It’s great so many people are here, and you only have to go into the Martin kitchen – as Peter said to me the other day, ‘It’s like a bloody florist shop’ –  and he’s got hay fever,” he said. 

Mr Jones also shared a tribute from Wayne’s sisters, Kerrie and Rebecca, about his passion for trucks – one he shared with his father. 

“Wayne worked out the place he needed to be was Dawson’s Haulage, where he could go anywhere and cart anything,” he said. 

“He said, and I quote, “find a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life  – 2016 is all about me’.

“And by golly Wayne – it is all about you.

“As Wayne would say, shine on.”