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00:00I can't go with that.
00:05Even if it was dry now, we couldn't go anywhere.
00:10And now I'll just go up like a Bob's uncle.
00:14It's pissing out frickin' a little.
00:19Well, here we go, Brodie boy.
00:22Oh, there's some holes down there.
00:26The wind's blowing hard.
00:27The thing with Lightning is make one mistake with it,
00:30and he'll kill you.
00:32Brodie!
00:36Because we're oversized, we've got to have two pilots.
00:41Are you warning trucks or are my warning trucks?
00:43Are you supposed to be behind you, you dumbass?
00:47Please don't talk on the CV to me like that.
00:51Ah, Mr Rilber.
00:53Righto, Wallace.
00:58I've got to get out of here, eh?
01:02I've got to go.
01:08I just want to get out, and I can't go quick up.
01:11I've got a job I've got to do tomorrow,
01:13so I've got to get this done today.
01:14It is just sliding, eh?
01:15We don't want to slide off the edge.
01:17If the truck starts off, we're gone, eh?
01:18I can't stop it.
01:20It is just sliding, eh?
01:21We don't want to slide off the edge.
01:26If the truck starts off, we're gone, eh?
01:28I can't stop it.
01:29I can't stop it.
01:33F*** it is.
01:35No, I'm not going anywhere, eh?
01:37This is f***ing.
01:40On a treacherous, muddy mountain track,
01:44log trucking specialist Mel Michelson
01:46has a vital 28-ton load to deliver.
01:50We've got an urgent order just came in down in New South Wales.
01:54They need some boards.
01:59So that's flaxle, and you just slide on it.
02:02The truck's doing this.
02:04I can't stop today.
02:08My job's on the line, and this is my name,
02:11and I need as much work as I can get.
02:16If she can get out of the logging site at Knapp Creek,
02:20Mel must wind her way through the Queensland Highlands
02:24to a mill 323 kilometres away in Kogan,
02:28where the logs will be cut into floorboards for a brewery.
02:32This load is the second of two 28-ton loads
02:36which she was hoping to deliver today.
02:41I might as well turn the truck off.
02:42It's not gone anyway.
02:56This is really bad.
02:58I'm wondering why I can't get traction.
03:03I don't want to take that off now.
03:08I don't want to change it in the mud.
03:09I'm going to have to come back, get it off, run into town in a ute,
03:14fix it, put it back on.
03:16For f***ing sake.
03:19Even if it was dry now, we couldn't go anywhere,
03:22because of the tyre.
03:24Those are better getting shit out of the truck then.
03:26Could be stuck here for a day or two,
03:28but it depends on how long it takes to dry out.
03:30Mel's only option is to wait out the bad weather,
03:35returning to her newly purchased dream home,
03:39which she's trying to pay off by hauling timber.
03:42I've fallen in love with this beautiful old grand Queenslander.
03:47She's 130 years old.
03:49It's going to cost a lot of money to renovate.
03:52I pulled off the boards and discovered this beautiful pine,
03:55so I'm going to bring all this back to life
03:59and sand it and polish it all and stain it.
04:02It's every load of logs I do now, like I still want this place.
04:06Looks like I've got to keep trucking on to get these red eyes done,
04:12so I just need to do as much work as I can when it's not raining.
04:24Thanks for picking me up.
04:26Not a problem.
04:28Too far to walk pushing the toe out.
04:32I hope I can get this truck out.
04:35Mel's truck is blocking the access road to the logging site
04:38run by her friend, Gary Orton.
04:41He's come to help her get moving again
04:44before more bad weather sets in.
04:46I just want to get this truck out.
04:48Like, days waiting on this load.
04:50It's pretty urgent.
04:52He can't cuddle up if he hasn't got it.
04:56Got that jack.
04:58There's a week's rain coming.
05:00I'm a bit worried.
05:01I've got to get it out.
05:03Not much rain.
05:05Where to get my fat cuts under there.
05:08It's not a friendly jack.
05:11I use the air of the truck to use the air jack.
05:17Wrong end.
05:18You've got the wrong fittings.
05:20That means I can't use the air jack at all, so I've got to have to manually do it.
05:27I've got the wrong hose for my air jack, so I'll just have to change it the old school way.
05:34Bloody trucks.
05:35Oh.
05:36These things happen.
05:37We didn't have air jacks in the old days, so as long as we get it done before this weather comes in.
05:42That's our main concern.
05:43Oh, God.
05:44Oh, God.
05:45Come on.
05:46Got a fair way to go, Mel.
05:47Oh.
05:48That's a positive sign.
05:49It must be getting off the ground now.
05:50Give it a go.
05:51Nothing to lose.
05:53It's just a bottle here.
05:54Go.
05:55For sake.
05:56For sake.
05:57Oh.
05:58Oh.
05:59That's a positive sign.
06:05It must be getting off the ground now.
06:09Give it a go.
06:10Nothing to lose.
06:18It's just a bottle here.
06:19Go.
06:21For sake.
06:22Oh, shit.
06:27The inside tyre is rooted.
06:31Oh.
06:43So, delaying this job for after Christmas, did that cost you all the client money?
06:48Our customer had some people were going to be in the yard in Alice Springs.
06:53Are you?
06:54Bugger.
06:55Look at that.
06:56Another friggin' rock through my windscreen.
07:00The delay over Christmas means I got a rock through my windscreen, which I didn't get
07:05last bloody time I went through here.
07:07Yep.
07:08And because we didn't get the freight through, I haven't been paid for the job.
07:13Over a month after having to abandon a trucking job because of road closures in the Central
07:19Desert, Steve Graham and his grandson Brodie have returned to Laverton to collect the load
07:26they left with Steve's mate, Rex Riles.
07:29Hello, mate.
07:30How are you, Rex?
07:31How are you, Rex?
07:32How are you, Rex?
07:33Have a good Christmas.
07:34Yeah, mate.
07:35Very good to see you, mate.
07:36You?
07:37I hope you had a good one.
07:38Last year, we had to park the gear up.
07:40Now we've come back to get it.
07:42This is round two.
07:44Now we've got 1,600 kilometres to go to get it to Alice Springs.
07:48From Laverton, Steve and Brodie will take on the infamous Great Central Road, over 1,000
07:55kilometres of brutal dirt, which has only just been reopened after being savaged by summer
08:01storms, before hitting the bitumen to finish their delivery in Alice Springs.
08:06You're good, Brodie boy?
08:07Yep.
08:08Let's go.
08:14What we've got is structural steel on this trailer, and the other two trailers are the
08:18frames and the trusses, and all the bits that make up the framework of the house.
08:26Well, here we go, Brodie boy.
08:30Now the truth will come out.
08:36The road hasn't been too rough, but it's keeping me on my toes.
08:46The bog holes where people got bogged just before Christmas, I can see quite clearly where
08:53they were bogged.
08:55So I've got to treat every one of those spots with real care.
08:58We're going to pull up here, just have a little break.
09:05Brodie?
09:06Yeah?
09:07Just have a quick walk around and check it, and I mean check everything.
09:10Brodie gets paid for the trip when he comes with me, and it's all part of learning about
09:15life.
09:17How do you go with the check, mate?
09:18Oh, they all look good.
09:20I'm good to go for a walk.
09:21Keep me in sight.
09:22Yeah.
09:23Just looking around for reptilians and what nots.
09:28Brodie is a dead keen naturalist, and he just loves reptiles.
09:33Oh, look, there's a bearded.
09:34He's sitting on the spinifex.
09:35That's a painted bearded, that one.
09:37So that'd be his home just there.
09:38So he's going to make a run for it.
09:40Probably going straight across or not.
09:42So, yeah, look, he's down there as he goes.
09:50The one thing I'd want Brodie to learn on a trip like this is when he tells me he's checked
09:53these minders he's checked them.
09:56I constantly forget how to talk to the modern young people.
10:00You've got to be very literal.
10:02They've been brought up all their life looking at an area this big.
10:05So this big place out here, it's not quite so much in their awareness.
10:10But coming on a trip with Grandad might expand the horizons from a little screen like that
10:15to the great big panorama through which we're travelling.
10:21Brodie?
10:22Yeah?
10:23Are we ready?
10:24Yep.
10:35Rain, Brodie, rain.
10:36We don't need rain this early, mate.
10:38This is bloody scary.
10:41You can see out there, either side, big falls.
10:45Big, big amounts of rain falling.
10:51There's some big holes in the road that have got water in them already.
10:55I know that.
10:56And if they get any more rain on them, we aren't getting around them.
10:59Oh, which puddle?
11:00Which puddle, mate?
11:01Which puddle?
11:02I think I might go in this one.
11:07Looks like it's a straighter approach.
11:10That one's on a big angle.
11:12Shit, this looks like slop, boy.
11:13Well, are they gonna get through it or are they gonna get up here, boy?
11:25Oh, there's some holes down there, Brodie, boy.
11:26We've got our first bridge coming up.
11:27Paul's gonna shut it for us to go across.
11:28We've got a 3.8 metre wide heavy transporter on the tow bridge.
11:29Call her up there, please.
11:30All right, mate.
11:31Bridge is clear.
11:32I'm all right.
11:33Get her down to four-way and, um, idle across.
11:35We've got our first bridge coming up.
11:37We've got our first bridge coming up.
11:38Paul's gonna shut it for us to go across.
11:40We've got a 3.8 metre wide heavy transporter on the tow bridge.
11:45Call her up there, please.
11:46All right, mate.
11:47Bridge is clear.
11:48I'm all right.
11:49Get her down to four-way and, um, idle across.
12:01Ah!
12:02Stop!
12:03Stop!
12:04What's on the bridge?
12:06What's that say?
12:07Stop!
12:08Get her out of the way!
12:10Clear out of the bridge.
12:11That lady got my blood pressure up, sludge, I tell you.
12:26Why's that?
12:27Well, I had the car stopped and this woman drove straight up.
12:30And this woman drove straight towards me and I was on her lane with a stop paddle up.
12:34And she went to drive around me to go on the bridge.
12:37And I says, what has stopped me?
12:39It must be her f***ing Kiwis, eh?
12:43I think she had an Aussie accent.
12:44He did.
12:45Good one.
12:46Legendary outback trucker Sludge has come back to the land of his birth, New Zealand, working
12:55as an oversized load driver.
12:57Doing a few jobs for Paul Clark, mate of mine from Dunedin.
13:02We're taking up a 43-tonne Tyrex dozer up to Wanaka for the wheels of Wanaka.
13:08The vintage bulldozer is the first of two that Sludge has to deliver.
13:13He left Dunedin over an hour ago and is headed for the mountainous country roads and narrow bridges that lead to Wanaka on the edge of New Zealand's southern alps.
13:23Sludge's mate Paul will exhibit both of his restored vintage bulldozers at the wheels of Wanaka's show.
13:31It's a big machinery show and everyone in New Zealand comes and people from all around the world are coming.
13:37It's a passion more than a money making venture.
13:40I don't think there's any others that are restored anywhere that I know of.
13:44Probably this side of Australia, New Zealand.
13:48I come out here just because I haven't worked for so long to try and financially help Wendy a little bit.
13:55Two years ago, Sludge had a motorcycle accident near his home in Western Australia.
14:01Unable to work, he has relied on his wife Wendy to support him during his recovery.
14:07Since I had the accident, Wendy still had to live and feed me.
14:11And when you're not working, it slowly gobbles everything you've got in the bank.
14:17I want to drive a little bit and earn a few bucks.
14:22But the big thing for me is now the grandkids.
14:25Sludge's two eldest children and their families live in New Zealand.
14:30I'd like to make sure they remember me, that I'm still here and spend a bit of time with them as well as working.
14:36This is my father's gravestone.
14:42He died on the 13th of April, 1984.
14:48And this is my brother's one.
14:50When did he die? 1981.
14:53So every time I come to New Zealand, I normally come up here and say hello and make sure they're all clean and tidy.
15:02My father died in a truck accident.
15:05They were backing a truck into a ramp and the brakes failed, rolled back and crushed him and squashed him.
15:10That's what killed him.
15:11My brother had an early end of life as well.
15:14He was coming home to the farm and Dad found him.
15:17He had run off the road and banged his head in his car and that's what killed him.
15:22I was only young when he died.
15:24It's one of those curveballs in life where that could have been me laying there as well.
15:30I thought I'd live forever but I've had a big scare and I don't want the kids growing up without me like I did without my father.
15:41Another bridge just around the corner.
15:43Roger, I've got to start watching what I'm doing and just be careful.
15:48With an oversize, you've got to be right on the money.
15:53Oh, oh.
16:00Holy shit.
16:06Now that's narrow.
16:08Holy shit.
16:09The trailer was rubbing the edge right on it.
16:18We're just coming into Wanaka and we're going to pull up here at the wheels of Wanaka.
16:25Transport toys, helicopters, planes.
16:29That's my kind of place.
16:39So that's one done.
16:41So tomorrow will be the real test.
16:43Plan is now we'll head back to Dunedin and then we can load the big one.
16:48It's almost 300 kilometres back to Paul's yard in Dunedin where Sludge will take on the second dozer, a bona fide heavyweight.
16:58So that's how much heavier?
17:00That's about another 15 ton heavier.
17:02Jesus.
17:03Yeah, right.
17:04So you're up around about 90 ton.
17:06The dozer blade is pretty much, you know, that's the bit that'll cut somebody open if it hits someone.
17:12We have to get it in the right place to make sure that, you know, the trailer doesn't go overweight on the axle of all the trucks.
17:21Yep.
17:23She's all on and tied up.
17:25We're ready to go.
17:26A bit nervous.
17:27It's going to be a hard day.
17:29Toughest one I've done.
17:30This thing's pretty serious.
17:32Hey, we might have a bit of a problem.
17:37I've just seen this email come through.
17:39You know where we went for that road work?
17:41They've got to shut the road to do that new bit of seal.
17:44So they're saying they're going to try and shut this off at 12.30 today.
17:48So how long are they shutting that for?
17:50Well, two to four hours.
17:52We've got to try and do our best to get there.
17:54Otherwise we're going to be parked on the side of the road until they've finished the job.
17:57And I don't know if we'll get there in time before they close it.
18:01It just adds to the pressure for the day.
18:04All right.
18:05Now you see why they say four wheel drive only, eh?
18:06Yeah.
18:07Yeah.
18:08After failing to cross the notorious Great Central Road,
18:13one month ago, Steve and his grandson Brodie have returned.
18:16Desperate to get a paying load,
18:17through to Alice's son.
18:18That's a great road line.
18:19That's a great road line.
18:20Right.
18:21Now you see why they say four wheel drive only, eh?
18:22Yeah.
18:23After failing to cross the notorious Great Central Road one month ago, Steve and his grandson Brodie have returned.
18:30Desperate to get a paying load through to Alice Springs.
18:36Still got 700 plus K of dirt to go.
18:37These storms are rolling in on us.
18:38Any serious rain out here and we're buggered.
18:39Yeah.
18:40It's just about dark, so I'll be pulling up shortly.
18:41Yeah.
18:42It's just about dark, so I'll be pulling up shortly.
18:43Yeah.
18:44It's just about dark, and I'll be pulling up shortly.
18:48Brodie.
18:49Yeah?
18:50Yeah?
18:51Have a look at all the tyres up, please.
18:52And then you're free, bro.
18:53Yeah.
18:54Yeah.
18:55Yeah.
18:56Yeah.
18:57Yeah.
18:58It's just about dark, so I'll be pulling up shortly.
19:08Brodie?
19:09Yeah?
19:10Have a look at all the tyres up, please.
19:13And then you're free.
19:14Yeah.
19:15Yeah.
19:16And then you're free, Brodie, and I'll start getting tea organised and stuff.
19:24The wind's blowing hard.
19:26I just hope it doesn't blow one of these storms into me.
19:31This is a good spot to camp. We're up on the hill.
19:34We've got the breeze here, and we can roll off from here in the morning
19:37if there's big rain during the night.
19:39This will be dry up here. We can roll away.
19:42I've got my little gas stove cooking for Brodie and myself to keep our energy up.
19:49Brodie, don't be walking around with that aluminium pole in the hand
19:53with this lightning around.
19:55Maybe we should be down on the low ground if the lightning gets going.
20:00The thing with the lightning is make one mistake with it and I'll kill you.
20:05That rain is going to happen any minute, seriously.
20:09Where's Brodie?
20:14Brodie!
20:22You know what I'd be doing?
20:27Yep.
20:28I've been ringing the tyre service, bringing out another tyre and a jack.
20:31I know it's an extra cost, but you won't get hung.
20:34Already two days behind on an urgent 28-ton timber delivery,
20:41a second blown drive tyre has pushed log truck driver Mel Michelson to her limit.
20:49Hey Joe, Gary Orton here.
20:51Oh, we've got a real problem here, mate.
20:55Had a flat tyre, got it one spare, but on the rear drive the inside tyre is rooted.
21:02You're the only one that can do it and you can't leave the shop because no one else is there.
21:07There's only two places in Burnham that will do it.
21:12They can't come out to do it out here on site, so we've got to take it in there.
21:19It might have a second hand one in there.
21:21That's what he wants.
21:22Yeah.
21:23Two things that cost you most money, rubber tyres and women.
21:27Yep.
21:28Tits and tyres.
21:30I've got to get out of here.
21:35It's delaying everything.
21:37I've still got a beautiful old property.
21:40I need to turn them wheels to get that coin in to do my renovations.
21:45Back safe, Mellie.
21:58Put that into the jack.
21:59We didn't try that one before.
22:01No.
22:06Oh f***ing wait.
22:09Me and Gary tried one hose, but we didn't try the other connection on the other side.
22:14We didn't try hard enough.
22:16And now it'll just go up like f***ing Bob's uncle.
22:20And we'll be out of here.
22:31What's up?
22:32It's not going anywhere.
22:37It's pissing out frickin' the world.
22:39And why has it decided to leak out oil today?
22:44Mmm.
22:45I've had it for four years and haven't had no drama with it.
22:52Look down, you've gone up that mark.
22:53Oh, they're moving now.
22:55Can't take a trick.
23:00Brodie!
23:01The thing with the lightning is, make one mistake with it and it'll kill you.
23:15Brodie!
23:17There he is.
23:18You found him.
23:19You're a good girl.
23:20You're a good girl.
23:21You're a good girl.
23:22You're a good girl.
23:23Thanks for finding Brodie for me, Bill.
23:31Well there you go, Brodie.
23:32There's your teammate.
23:33You're out of the rain.
23:35I'm gonna go and eat mine.
23:37Can you fit any more potato in your mouth, Brodie?
23:39Boy, are you hungry or what?
23:40Starving.
23:41This is a good meal to have at the end of the day.
23:51We'll think about going, Brodie.
23:52If you're good, we'll go.
23:56So what was your tally last night?
23:58I think I got this spider I got.
24:02Here's the little mouse.
24:03A mouse?
24:04Yeah.
24:05A mouse or a donut?
24:06Mouse.
24:07Steve is on a mission to get a long-delayed load across the red centre of Australia,
24:12while simultaneously catching up on some much-needed family time.
24:17I like to think I'm quite close to my grandkids.
24:20They're all good kids.
24:22I'm determined to spend the time with them that I didn't spend with my kids,
24:26but I'm struggling to find that time still.
24:33There's the border, mate.
24:34All right, we'll stop up here, check our gear.
24:47How is everything?
24:48Good.
24:49All right, now let's go back and start again, mate.
24:51We've got to talk to you about your eyes.
24:53See the broken strap?
24:55Oh, yeah.
24:56Oh, yeah.
24:57You've got...
24:59You young blokes, you've got to learn to see.
25:01It appears I missed this broken strap.
25:05I don't know how I missed that, too.
25:08It comes with experience, that ability to just notice things that aren't right.
25:15That's it, Brodie.
25:17I'll go around and tie it off.
25:19That rain that's coming up behind us,
25:23I do know if that rain gets out here on this road in front of me, we won't do it.
25:29Now, I have to check my fuel.
25:33There's not much fuel in that tank.
25:36It's not good.
25:39I've got diesel in the valley tank under the front trailer.
25:43To enable long-distance hauls through the harsh Australian wilderness,
25:48Steve has set up a 1,000-litre fuel storage tank under his first trailer.
25:53He can pump fuel from there to the main tanks using a hose,
25:58as long as the truck's motor is running.
26:00But the process can take over an hour.
26:03I don't want to have to stop and run it and have the rain beat me.
26:09Brodie boy, we've got about 30km to go to the camp,
26:14and we're really low on fuel.
26:17I should fuel up here, but I'm gonna take a punt.
26:22I'll give it a crack, 30km.
26:25I need 40 litres.
26:29This might be the worst mistake I've made in a long time.
26:37I've got to keep my wits about me today and pedal a bit.
26:40If we're running late, it's gonna be a real pain in the arse.
26:44Sludge is racing the clock.
26:46He has a bigger, wider and 20-ton heavier bulldozer to haul
26:51almost 300km to Wanaka,
26:54before the road is scheduled to be closed in four hours' time.
26:59If we don't make the time to get there before they shut it,
27:02we're gonna be stuck with, you know, 90 tonnes sitting on the road
27:06at four and a half metres wide blocking the whole road up.
27:10We've got enough pressure with the wider and 20-ton heavier,
27:14so the extra pressure's just giving me the shits, really.
27:18We've got Paul out the front today,
27:20and Sarah, Paul's partner, she's coming today as well.
27:24I've been driving trucks for about six or seven years.
27:27I'm gonna be driving the second pilot vehicle.
27:30To provide extra support to Sludge on this massive job,
27:34his wife Wendy has flown in from Australia.
27:37It's pretty big for him, especially, you know, getting back into it again.
27:41I'm gonna jump in with a pilot, which is exciting,
27:45because I've never been in a pilot vehicle before.
27:55This is the worst bit, is getting out of this bloody town,
27:58because we've got to be on the wrong side of the road.
28:00All clear, Sludge, just keep coming.
28:18Yep, so f***ing go! Go!
28:22Go!
28:25Paul, you're supposed to be in front of me?
28:28I've got to get around to the sheep bridge first.
28:33For f*** sake!
28:35Give the law!
28:36Why the f***ing who's supposed to be behind you, you dumbass?
28:41This is what pisses me off with him, is he always...
28:44Makes his own rules.
28:45...is like everything's gotta be by the book,
28:48and then he f***ed it all up.
28:54There we go.
28:55Here we go, onto the motorway.
28:58Woohoo!
29:00You can tell we're 20-ton heavier.
29:05That's what make this old girl work today.
29:09I'm just gonna pop around on the left,
29:11come around in front of you,
29:12coming around...
29:13Probably did that a bit early, actually.
29:14You should've waited to the bottom of the hill, but never mind.
29:16Yeah, right-o.
29:17I'd rather do it early than too late.
29:18No, but the rules are you've got to wait to get to the bottom of the line.
29:19Ah, Mr Rulebook, who f***ing was behind me before and he was supposed to go ahead of me?
29:22Right-o, Wallace.
29:23A little bit of tension here with Paul and Sarah.
29:24Trouble in paradise.
29:25It's probably just settling in and getting the distances right.
29:26And, um...
29:27You know, everyone's going to get to the bottom of the line.
29:28You know, I'd rather do it early than too late.
29:29No, but the rules are you've got to wait to get to the bottom of the line.
29:31Ah, Mr Rulebook, who f***ing was behind me before and he was supposed to go ahead of me?
29:36Right-o, Wallace.
29:37A little bit of, ah, tension here with Paul and Sarah.
29:44Trouble in paradise.
29:46It's, ah, probably just settling in and getting the distances right.
29:50And, ah, you know, everyone has a different idea where they should be and what they're doing.
29:56And after this black car, you're all clear to come over to the right-hand lane.
30:00So he just sits in the middle now?
30:02Ah, no, he's got to be open to the line.
30:04Oh, because he's turning.
30:05He's got to go under this bridge.
30:07And, um, it comes down on the angle.
30:13But if he went in there, he literally would have hit it.
30:16Shit! Yeah! Wow!
30:18Yeah, you're all clear.
30:27He's not even warning tracks.
30:29Are you warning tracks or are my warning tracks?
30:32Yeah.
30:334.3, guys.
30:34I couldn't get on the CB, so...
30:35So this next bridge is at 10km an hour and central.
30:45Roger that.
30:47You need the pilots to shut the bridge off.
30:52You've got to have two pilots.
30:55One's got to be further up to shut the road and the other one guides us across.
31:00On theCVs there's a bit of some moratoriums in Lub exception.
31:19Oh, he's cold. I'm right behind you.
31:21Once I get there, you need to move forwards.
31:26Please don't talk on the CB to me like that.
31:32It's always hard when you're a couple working together
31:35because you probably say more than you should.
31:38If we learn to shut up, it'll probably be a lot easier.
31:46Keeping around the game now.
31:47Well, it's only gone up that mark.
31:51It's hardly moving now, isn't it?
31:53Mel Michelson is racing the fading afternoon light.
31:58She needs to replace two drive tyres with a faulty jack
32:01and get her 28-tonne load over 300 kilometres to a timber mill
32:06to finally get paid for the job.
32:09Can you jack up a little bit by hand?
32:14We really need this loading.
32:16I just want to get out of here.
32:18Before the frickin' rain gets here.
32:24I don't even know if it's going up, though.
32:27Yeah, it is.
32:30Yeah, you're winning.
32:36Yep, it's high enough, Mally.
32:38Right.
32:39God, it's just stuck here, eh?
32:48Look, that is completely off to bring up.
32:50Find me.
33:01Now I've got to get it over that.
33:05Oops.
33:07Good girl.
33:08Now, it's tall I can go f***ing itself.
33:24Get up, bitch.
33:27Oh, yeah!
33:37All good to go.
33:40Thank you for all your help.
33:41Not a problem.
33:43I'd better get out.
33:44The hidden clouds are over there.
33:45I mean, they're coming in quite fast, so...
33:47I'm just going to get out of here and down the mountain.
33:59I'm worried about this part the most.
34:02It's still quite wet.
34:04It's first gear material.
34:06The ground feels okay.
34:12Like, it's still a bit slippery, but it's okay.
34:19Yeehaw!
34:20Finally made it to the gate,
34:22and I'm just pulled out on the road,
34:23so I'm pretty happy.
34:27Clouds are pretty black.
34:29But it's raining over there, definitely.
34:32Looks like it just got out of there in time.
34:36I've been down, down and out for three or four days.
34:40Like, I've missed two jobs that have come in.
34:42There's missed money and letting people down.
34:45Like, I don't like that.
34:47But, um, they understood, so that's looking for you.
34:51Now I've got to get back to the mill and get this unloaded.
34:58Just hit the Warrego Highway.
35:00Got some pretty good roads until I get near Irrardaldee.
35:03Then head off into the night.
35:21The load from hell.
35:22When these logs come off,
35:29I'll have a happy customer
35:32who luckily understands why I'm awake.
35:37But we can't help the weather,
35:39so that makes me happy when they're happy.
35:42Yes!
35:42Oh, my God, I'm so proud to say I'm finally unloaded,
35:49so after this, I'll go back to the farm and have a rest,
35:53and then tomorrow I'll go and get a feedable load of firewood.
35:56I've got to keep them wheels turning
35:58because I haven't been earning.
36:00I reckon I've got about 30km to go there.
36:09I need 40 litres.
36:12I've got diesel into the front trailer.
36:13I don't want to have to stop and have the rain beat me.
36:16This might be the worst mistake I've made in a long time.
36:19Maybe I'm being a stupid old fool taking a punt on it.
36:24But that's the gamble I'm about to take.
36:26We might do it, Brodie.
36:34We've got about a size K to go.
36:43I made it, Brodie.
36:46We made it, boy.
36:49We made it, Brodie.
36:54This is it.
36:55We're going to camp here tonight.
36:57We've made it to the bitumen.
36:59Touch wood. We're laughing.
37:01Can you do a quick walk around, please, mate?
37:03Because I'm going to run fuel from the belly tank
37:05into the front tank, right?
37:07That'll give us enough fuel to get into Alice Springs tomorrow.
37:10Sounds good.
37:10We're on the bitumen now.
37:22We've got 468 kilometres to go from here.
37:26I'm on a tight time schedule.
37:29We've got people who will be starting work a half of me on time,
37:35or it costs big money.
37:40Well, Brodie, boy, here we go.
37:42There's the yard over there.
37:43We've just about pulled it off.
37:47Here we are, mate.
37:48Here we are.
37:49We'll go and see Matt and find out what's going on.
37:56All right.
38:00How are you, mate?
38:01You're joking.
38:03All right.
38:05It's the whole story in this business.
38:07Once again, we've gone hard to get here
38:12and we're not going to unload today.
38:15We're going to unload tomorrow.
38:19It does frustrate you in that
38:22if I had known this earlier,
38:24maybe I would have gone a little bit slower
38:25and kept the truck a little bit cooler.
38:29So nothing's going to happen today.
38:32Finally, it's in the yard.
38:33After five weeks, it's all here.
38:34And we're not unloading until tomorrow.
38:42Hi.
38:43Hello.
38:44Come through this way if you want.
38:45Brodie, you go.
38:46This is yours.
38:47All right.
38:47This is yours.
38:49In some ways, I'm sort of happy
38:51that we're not unloading until tomorrow.
38:53Now I can relax a bit
38:54and take Brodie in to see a surprise.
38:56Did you guys want to have a hold of a snake?
38:59Brodie is a dead keen naturalist.
39:01He just loves reptiles.
39:03She's going to come over your shoulders.
39:06Well, I'm taking him into the reptile centre.
39:08You can't feel that weight.
39:10It's a lot heavier than most little pithons.
39:12And now comes a bit where she strangles you.
39:17Reptiles, always a cool thing to see.
39:20Oh, look at him.
39:21He's a beauty.
39:22This is Frank.
39:23He's a Spencer's goanna.
39:24Oh, wow.
39:26They do get big.
39:27Well, Brodie, I hope you enjoyed that.
39:30Yeah.
39:30That was awesome.
39:35Coming into Milton.
39:37At Milton's where they've got all the main street
39:39of Milton ripped up.
39:40I'm going to move these cones around this milk tanker here
39:46because you ain't going to get past.
39:51Oh, my God.
39:52He's actually moving clones.
39:54I can't believe it.
39:55Normally, he'd just be like,
39:56Oh, it's going to get the things over.
39:58I don't even worry about it.
40:03Yeah, he should get around there now.
40:06Hauling an oversized combined mass of almost 90 tonnes
40:10in a 30-year-old truck he's only driven once before,
40:14Sludge is relying on his problematic pilots,
40:18Paul and Sarah.
40:19When you've got your partner with you,
40:21they have different ideas.
40:23It's not a bed of roses.
40:26Have you heard any more about these roadworks
40:30and Fruitlands, Paul?
40:32I've just heard that they're closing the road at 1 o'clock.
40:37We're going to be really, really pushing it hard
40:40to get there.
40:41Look at that.
40:43The team have less than two hours
40:46to get through a scheduled road closure ahead
40:48or risk being forced to stop overnight.
40:52After 6 o'clock, we're not allowed to drive oversize.
40:55So if they hold us up too long,
40:57we're not going to make Wanaka tonight.
40:59Here we go.
41:00It's into the hills and the windy stuff
41:03and this is where I've got to be super vigilant.
41:07We're coming into the gorge now
41:09and I've got to be central in the middle of the road
41:11so they've got to stop all the cars.
41:14Well, I don't know if you can hear me,
41:15but there's two cars after the petrol tanker.
41:18After that, the road is closed.
41:27Pull over.
41:30Is he stopped?
41:32Pull right over.
41:33Just pull in as far as you can go.
41:35Yep.
41:38We've got to put the power dividers in now
41:40because the road's wet.
41:42So that locks the arse end up giving us more drive.
41:44It's just starting to skid a little bit
41:53and light the tyres up.
41:57I'm just fighting,
41:59trying to keep out on the dry bits of the road
42:01just to keep the traction.
42:04Otherwise, we wouldn't have made it over that.
42:09Coming up to where the road closure is,
42:12it's touch and go.
42:13I don't know if we're going to get this.
42:18Hi.
42:20You guys are starting to see the ceiling, haven't you?
42:21So it'll be fine if we could get through, OK?
42:24Yes, sir.
42:26We've got a large transporter,
42:294.3 coming through.
42:30It's about 90 tonne.
42:32We'll just go along quietly.
42:33Is that OK?
42:34Copy?
42:36Yeah, that's all right.
42:38There you go.
42:39Copy, sludge?
42:43Yep, nothing.
42:43Giving us the OK to come through.
42:45Better get authority just in time.
42:47So we're cutting off here in four minutes time.
42:50Beautiful.
42:56It's a pretty straight run home now.
42:58Well, guys, that's a big thank you.
43:09Mission completed.
43:13Good job, Dart.
43:16To see him back here,
43:19pretty much close to his old self,
43:21it's fantastic.
43:22I'm wrapped, actually, for him.
43:23I was struggling after the accident.
43:28Am I good enough to drive trucks again?
43:31And to have done what I've done is huge.
43:34I'm probably lucky enough
43:35to have a second chance of life.
43:38My father, he wasn't lucky enough.
43:40But I think he'd be proud
43:41of what I've done over the years.
43:43Sludge is back.
43:45This time we've crossed the threshold
43:46and we're going to do it again.
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