About Us

Paul Freestone is a self-made man in the truest sense. There was no family business to inherit and no financial backing to rely on.

His journey began in 1966 at an Ampol service station on Keilor Road, Essendon, then the main road out of Melbourne. A B-Model Mack, loaded with Nasco Holden accessories and bound for Townsville, pulled in for fuel. The young attendant on duty was Paul Freestone.

Working part-time after school, Paul struck up a friendship with the driver, Lindsay Ellis. That chance meeting introduced him to the transport industry and sparked a lifelong passion for trucks, travel, and the open road.

At just 16, Paul gained his articulated licence in South Australia and worked in a mine before purchasing his first truck, a modest furniture van. Over the following years, he built experience the hard way, buying used trucks and hauling freight for Express Freight and Pub Squash, before moving into interstate fuel haulage with Mayne Nickless.

Trips were made with a thermos, freshly cut sandwiches, five dollars in his pocket, and a quiet hope the truck would make it home again. There was no heater in the cab, gear changes were fought uphill and rushed downhill, and weekends were spent washing, servicing, and preparing for the next run.

It was tough, relentless work, but it was also a time of camaraderie, resilience, and friendships forged on the highway. Those early years laid the foundations for the standards Freestone’s Transport would later become known for.

In 1976, Freestone’s Transport purchased its first brand-new truck, a Ford Louisville LNT 9000. To save money, it was ordered without a sleeper cab, a decision Paul later called 'a big mistake' after hauling LP gas tankers across the Nullarbor five times a month.

By 1981, Paul and Christine purchased their first Kenworth Aerodyne and chiller van while working for Star Track Express (formerly Multigroup). It was the first truck finished in the now-iconic Freestone livery of maroon, black, and white, immaculately presented and fitted with every available chrome accessory.

That attention to detail quickly became a hallmark of the business.

In 1983, Star Track Express approached Freestone’s Transport to purchase three Scania prime movers, later replaced with Kenworths. It marked the company’s first formal contract and the beginning of long-standing partnerships built on trust and performance.

Today, Freestone’s Transport operates a fleet of approximately 70 prime movers and is recognised as a premium line-haul carrier.

This growth did not happen overnight. It is the result of decades of hard work, dedicated people, and strong relationships with clients who value consistency, care, and accountability.

True to Freestone tradition, there are still favourites in the fleet, including the original B-Model Mack, ex-Eastoe trucks, a 1969 COE Kenworth, a 1964 Peterbilt, W-Model Kenworths, SARs, and the much-loved 379 Peterbilts, all maintained in immaculate condition.

Freestone’s Transport has always been a family business. Paul and Christine’s daughters grew up alongside the operation, Sam, now an industry journalist, and Jody, a lawyer who has returned to work within the company.

While today’s transport industry faces new challenges, from Chain of Responsibility laws and compliance pressures to driver shortages and infrastructure constraints, the values that built Freestone’s Transport remain unchanged.

Integrity. Accountability. Pride in the job.