Leader Trucks was a true Australian truck manufacturer.
Leader was part of Great Western P/L, J.C (Cyril) Anderson was the governing director, and the man responsible for establishing Leader Trucks.
Cyril was involved in road transport (Western Transport), Motor Vehicle importing and Sales, Manufacturing, Agriculture and Mining.
Leader Trucks were built in Toowoomba (QLD),from 1972 through till 1984 and built close to 2000 trucks.
1936 Cyril Andersons Transport Company had grown to four trucks.
1937 Cyril Anderson changed the name of his Company to Western Transport.
1941 Cyril and Duck Anderson along with 14 other employees enlisted into Army. A manager was appointed to run the company and on returning Cyril found this had been unsuccessful. He asks his brother Curly to run the business.
1950 Western Transport purchased Maranoa Transport from the Pollard family introducing the company to many more centres in South Western Queensland.
1950’s Opening of Western Transport’s modern freight facility in Montague Road South Brisbane and the expansion of the Toowoomba Depot, ensuring the company was well placed to efficiently handle large volumes of goods for dozens of destinations.
1960 Maryland Transport was purchased opening up fruit hauling both interstate and intrastate. A large depot was established in Stanthorpe to co-ordinate large tonnages of fruit and fertiliser. 1961 As oil wells were being developed, Western Transport handles its first ‘Big Rig’ move to Mornington Island via Normanton. A convoy of over 40 vehicles transported the rigs and equipment to set up this enormous venture.
1963 Great Western, the parent company of Western Transport, entered into a 50/50 partnership with Mack Truck Inc. Mack trucks Australia was formed, and the Directors were Cyril and Curly Anderson, with Curly being appointed Managing Director.
1960’s Road Trains were introduced hauling general freight, oilfields equipment, mining equipment and pipelines.
1972 Western Transport was sold to Bells Brothers from West Australia closing an important chapter in the development of road transport in Australia.
" Leader trucks were an Australian-designed and built truck, with a cab similar to a Mack but made from fibreglass and a huge choice of engines and transmissions. They were a very good truck in spite of being Australian, were very popular here in NZ and the ones here were usually fitted with various Caterpillar engines and Fuller Roadranger transmissions.