Frasers Livestock Transport has supported many organisations during its 75 years of serving rural Australia, and according to the family company’s Managing Director, Ross Fraser (OAM), Heart of Australia is one of the most important.
Ross first learned of Heart of Australia while listening to the Country Hour on ABC Radio.
“I heard an interview with Dr Rolf Gomes talking about his mission to deliver specialist medical services to rural and regional Australia. I quickly realised it was a wonderful initiative and something that Frasers could and should get involved in.
“Rolf mentioned he was looking for a tyre company to help out with the cost of tyres required for his customised mobile clinics. Being a transport company, we have some great relationships with tyre companies, so I gave Rolf a call and offered to help.
“We helped connect Rolf with the great team at Bridgestone, who were as eager as we were to become a part of the initiative, and came on board as Heart of Australia’s dedicated tyre partner.”
Frasers had helped Heart of Australia to secure a fantastic tyre partner, but they didn’t stop there.
“We phoned Rolf back once the tyres were sorted and asked ‘now what can Frasers Livestock Transport do?’ We quickly worked out that one of the things we had in common was drivers. We understood, perhaps more than most, the critical role that drivers play in delivering goods and services to people in rural Australia. So we committed to making a financial contribution each quarter to help towards the cost of drivers wages.
“Rolf had come up with a unique concept that would help support the people in the bush, and he had the drive and determination to make it happen. We wanted to help.
“We knew first hand that country people often wait too long to get their health issues checked. Before Heart of Australia existed, you had to travel to the city for specialist care, and that’s pretty daunting to do. People in the city don’t always appreciate how difficult it is to get to the city, but there’s a lot of hurdles you have to negotiate. You need to find someone to mind your property and your stock, and with the drought, many people can’t afford to employ someone to do it. Then there are all the costs of travel and accommodation.
“That’s why the work of Heart of Australia is so important. Bringing the doctors and all their equipment to the doorstep just makes good sense. The people living and working on the land need our help and support to stay there, and it’s incredibly reassuring for the people who live in the communities Heart of Australia visits to know the doctors and equipment are there when they need it. It’s just one of the way we can support them to stay on the land and in their communities.
Ross said Frasers could not be more pleased with their decision to support Heart of Australia.
“Our staff let us know how proud they when they see our logo on the heart trucks in the communities where our staff and customers live and work.”
“As a family company, dedicated to supporting rural communities, it is an honour to be a part of the work being done by Heart of Australia.
Frasers Livestock Transport is celebrating its 75th birthday this year – a major milestone for any company. The business was founded in 1944 by Ross’s parents: Charles and Edna Fraser. The transport empire is now owned and operated by Ross and his two brothers Les and Peter, all great supporters of Heart of Australia.
