The Deniliquin & District Transport Wall of Fame has inducted six remarkable individuals for 2025, recognising lifelong contributions to the road transport industry that have left an indelible mark on the region and beyond.

This year's inductees, Edward "Ted" Fitzmaurice, Jacqueline "Lady John" Southern, Neville John Jones, Stuart McCallum, Graeme "Pegleg" Unwin, and Wayne Scott, represent decades of dedication, skill, and passion that have kept Australia's wheels turning.

Among the honourees, three stand out for their extraordinary stories of perseverance and pioneering spirit.

Jacqueline Emily Southern, known throughout the industry as "Lady John", broke barriers in an era when women drivers were a rarity. Born in Urbenville in 1929, she began her transport career alongside her husband Colin, carting firewood in Blackall before moving into mail runs.

Remarkably, between 1948 and 1972, Lady John raised 10 children whilst building her reputation behind the wheel—a testament to her extraordinary determination and work ethic.

After relocating to Cobram, she drove for Kortum Brothers before spending many years with Neville and Phyllis Jones, hauling wool, aggregate, and grain across the country. Her favourite? The B Model Mack, though she expertly handled everything from Internationals to Kenworths throughout her career.

Lady John's son Gene Palmer accepted the award on behalf of his late mother, who passed away in 2017 at age 87. In a fitting tribute, her family scattered her ashes from a truck window near Grong Grong on the Newell Highway, a final journey for a woman whose heart belonged to the open road.

Four of her sons and a grandson followed her into the transport industry, cementing the Southern family's legacy in Australian trucking.

Neville Jones, who passed away after a lifetime of service to transport, was honoured with an induction accepted by his son Wayne, alongside his mother Phyllis, herself a past Wall of Fame inductee.

Born in Dandenong in 1939, Neville's journey into transport began at just 16, when he moved to Hay for what was meant to be a six-month job. That brief stint turned into a decade of road construction work, operating a Caterpillar grader and forming many of the outback roads around Booligal that remain in use today.

Entirely self-taught, Neville became highly skilled in road construction and irrigation works before transitioning to trucking, initially working for his father on gruelling runs to Darwin in a 160hp International, on dirt roads, with no bunk or air conditioning.

In 1969, Neville and his wife Phyllis took a leap of faith, launching Jones Transport with a second-hand B61 Mack and a sheep crate. Their first regular client, Dennis Jacka of Ivanhoe, became a lifelong friend and helped establish the foundation of what would become Jones of Hay, a name synonymous with reliability and hard work.

Over the years, the family business grew to operate B, R and F Model Macks, Benzes, Kenworths, and Western Stars, with their children Debbie, Glynn, Wayne, and Les all contributing to the family legacy.

Wayne Neil Scott, who tragically passed away in March 2010, was remembered for his extraordinary achievements and generous spirit.

Born in Deniliquin in 1958, Wayne grew up immersed in the family business, Neil Scott's Transports. He left school at 16 to work alongside his father and brother Bruce, and by 19 had become the youngest semi driver in New South Wales, and one of the youngest to cart four decks of sheep.

Wayne's favourite truck was the 1985 SAR with a 350 Cat engine, though he spent most of his early career in the company's Volvo and later Kenworths. When the family business was sold in 1989, Wayne continued driving for various operators including Ian Hood, Deniliquin Freighters, and Purtills.

His daughters Natalie and Jammi accepted the award surrounded by friends and colleagues who remembered Wayne not just for his skill behind the wheel, but for his loyalty and willingness to mentor younger drivers.

The Deniliquin & District Transport Wall of Fame continues to preserve the stories of those who built Australia's road transport industry from the ground up, individuals who drove through dust storms and flooded roads, who maintained their trucks with their own hands, and who created the networks and relationships that still underpin regional freight today.

This year's nominees also included Sydney Michael Grimison and Stuart Schifferle, whose contributions to the industry were recognised alongside the inductees.

The ceremony serves as a reminder that behind every delivery, every tonne of wool or grain, and every highway journey, there are people whose dedication and expertise have shaped the nation's transport landscape for generations to come.