Meet Bryan Finlay, the new truck applicator driver for Vella Haulage.

Vella Haulage has been a Bio Dunder® liquid fertiliser application contractor for more than 20 years, applying on farms anywhere north of Ilbilbie and south of Bloomsbury. The business specialises in transporting bulk liquids such as fertiliser, molasses and cattle feed, but also has drop deck trailers for carting machinery.

Bryan grew up in Koumala and now lives at Sarina with his wife Jess, children, Tyler and Ella, and two dogs.

His grandfather was a cane inspector and his father was a loco driver, so he’s well acquainted with the sugar industry.

He has also spent a lot of time around trucks. After school, he got a certificate in vehicle underbody repairs, then worked at a truck alignment shop.

For the past eight years he has been working as a truck driver, carting Bio Dunder liquid fertiliser for various contractors. When the opportunity arose to be an applicator driver, Bryan took it.

He said he enjoyed the challenges of his new role. “The biggest challenge is coordinating everything together as a plan. When that plan runs smoothly, it’s a good day.”

Asked what he most liked about Bio Dunder liquid fertiliser, Bryan said: “It’s easy and fast, it is convenient to handle and quick to apply. You pump it in and pump it out.”

He also enjoys driving past paddocks where he had applied product and seeing the sugarcane “green up”.

Outside work, Bryan loves fishing and shooting. His dream car is a Dodge Ram 2500 Laramie. He likes cold beer, and dislikes caravans and politicians.

Asked what he’d grab first if his house was on fire (excluding his wife and kids), he said: “My gun-safe keys… although on second thoughts that may not help much.”