ABC Landline program

Keith Webb · #1 12-09-10, 01:16

Hi all

For those in Australia ABC 1 is broadcasting a story I shot a couple of weeks ago in Alice Springs about the unveiling of a bronze bust of Tom Kruse at the National Road Transport Hall of Fame. The program goes to air at 12pm Eastern Standard time.

For those who are not familiar with the story of Tom, he was the star of one of the most iconic Australian films, The Back of Beyond which was released in 1954. It is the story of the toughest mailrun in the world, with Tom driving a Leyland Badger from Marree to Coopers Creek, then after transferring his load in a punt he drives the rest of the way in a 1941 Ford F60L cab 12. I made a documentary back in 1999 when the restored Badger mailtruck again made the trip from Birdsville to Marree and then on to Adelaide with Tom behind the wheel again at the age of 85. You can see more at The Last Mail from Birdsville website.

A couple of weeks ago Tom was flown to Alice Springs to join in the celebrations. It was a very tough week for him, his wife Valma died on Wednesday but he and the family decided to go, because they felt Valma would have wanted them to, but above all Tom didn't want to disappoint all the people who were travelling all that way to see him. He is that kind of man. The other thing was on Saturday (the day before the unveiling) he turned 96. He is a true legend.

As a backdrop to the ceremony there are two CMPs, on the left a replica of the cab 12 owned by another branch of the Kruse family and brought to Alice Springs by his great nephew Brenton Kruse, and a cab 13 C60L painted to represent one of the vehicles used in a 1986 film.

I trust, after all this the story doesn't get held over for another week - I've been told it will be on.

For those overseas, it may be available on demand from the Landline website here.

Ganmain Tony · #2 12-09-10, 01:36

Looking forward to it Keith - its an important part of our history. Website contains some great snippets as well.

Thanks for letting us know its on

Keith Webb · #3 12-09-10, 03:41

Have just heard it is running at about 12.40 and is about a 4.5 min segment including parts of the original Back of Beyond and other archival footage.

Ganmain Tony · #4 12-09-10, 05:25

Very interesting program. He must have been a very tough bloke and it seems very fitting to immortalise him as they have.

The Leyland Badger looks like it would have been a slow but reliable ride. The vibration from the corrugations made it look like the steering wheel was going to shake out of old Tom's hands.

There was a Cab 12 60L in the some of the picture as well!!! Great looking truck.

Keefy got his name in the credits as well