Road Trains And The Women Who Drive Them

The North West of Western Australia is one of the toughest places on the planet to live and work, but every day thousands of workers start their day in the red dust of the Pilbara. I am always excited going on road trips and this one was special.

After a 2 hour flight from Perth, Australia I landed in the town of Karratha where I was to meet one one of Australia's true "Aussies" - Heather Jones. Minutes later we hit the road in her Road Train.

Think, prime mover, plus a trailer, plus a trailer, plus a trailer and you are getting close, they call them Road Trains and basically that's just what they are. We drove through the warm dusk on the lonely roads occasionally seeing a tourist towing a caravan or another Road Train, until it was getting dark, then it was time to take a break from the long hot day, roll out a swag and bed down under the stars.

Heather is one of only a few women drivers moving freight across the wide brown land, but their numbers are growing. In fact, her organisation Pilbara heavy Haulage Girls has just received two new Volvo trucks and have set up a house for a growing number of people wanting to learn the art of long distance driving from these amazing girls.

Heather Jones at a truck bay in Port Headland in Western Australia.

Driving into the evening long haul trucker, Heather Jones on the long lonely road in the Western Australian outback hauling a Road Train full of goods.

Heather Jones, Pilbarra heavy haulage trucker sits on her swag in the remote North West of Western Australia before camping out for the night.

A Road Train passes in the north west of Western Australia.

Preparing the load on another Road Train at Broome in Western Australia.

Heather checks the load is secure on her Road Train before setting off back into the Australian outback.

Callie and,Bon Ewing Heavy Haulage Girls, say good bye as mum gets ready for another road trip across Western Australia.

Rachael Willis one of the Heavy Haulage Girls, Western Australia.

Time for a last minute play with Baby Myla and Melissa Astwood Heavy Haulage Girls, take a break at a truck yard in Western Australia.

Heather Jones one of the Heavy Haulage Girls, Western Australia.