The vintage Kwinana Road Board vehicle was rolled out this month in honour of two freeway extensions, one of which opened 20 years ago.
The Kwinana Freeway was extended from Thomas Road to Safety Bay Road in 2001 and was officially opened on 23 June.
But the freeway first arrived in Kwinana 27 years ago on 11 September 1994.
This particular opening was cause for much celebration because it made travel north much more efficient for local residents.
At the time, $1 million dollars was contributed by the then Town of Kwinana to extended the freeway from Forrest Road to Thomas Road.
Rodney Tenardi, of Wellard, was at both the 1994 and the 2001 celebrations to crank-start and drive the Ford ‘T’ Char-a-banc with its bench seats arranged in rows to carry groups of people including Elected Members along the fresh stretches of road.
Mayor Carol Adams recalled the opening of the Safety Bay Road extension where she said a fleet of cars greeted the Kwinana Road Board vehicle in Baldivis.
“We were very excited for both of the freeway extensions as they connected the area with the rest of Perth in a more efficient way,” Mayor Adams said.
“The Kwinana Road Board vehicle is a local treasure and it was great to roll it out in honour of the 20th anniversary of the Thomas Road extension.”
The vehicle, owned by Bob Ridley, was originally used for market gardening and to cart sandalwood from Wellard to a jetty in Rockingham before it came to the Kwinana Road Board in 1955.