How it began ...
Father and son team Greg and Malcolm Judd started Macedon Ranges Water Cartage in 2001 after Greg finished working on the Woodend Bypass. The opportunity to purchase a water tanker he’d been using came up and seeing a gap in local services, the pair decided to buy the tanker. Macedon Ranges Water Cartage was born.
As demand for their services has increased, so has the business’ facilities. The original M.A.N truck was double shifted to improve its function. Then, during the 2008 drought, the team purchased a Kenworth water truck from Queensland to keep up with the demand. With Greg in the ‘old girl’ and Malcolm using the new, more powerful truck to do longer distances, the team has been able to expand coverage to include all of the Macedon Ranges and beyond. Always wanting to better their service quality, the Judds have most recently acquired a new, international water truck so that they can eventually retire the old, trusty M.A.N that started it all.
The future looks bright for Macedon Ranges Water Cartage as we continue to grow and develop to meet the needs of the local area.
Malcolm Judd
Malcolm grew up in the Macedon Ranges, originally living in Macedon. When his home was burnt out in the Ash Wednesday bushfires, he moved to Woodend. Now he, his lovely wife of nine years Katie and their two beautiful boys Aaron, 8, and Riley, 6, continue to call Woodend home.
Always working in physical jobs, he started his working life as a builder’s labourer, and then got an apprenticeship as a diesel mechanic with Hume City Council. Once Malcolm completed his apprenticeship, he started work as a qualified mechanic at Prendergast Earthmoving in Kyneton.
“I was at Prendergast for five years, then for a change started driving LPG tankers for United Gas,” Malcolm said.
“I was there three years then contracted as a mechanic and driver for Craig and Jules Egan at Just in Time Transport in Woodend and Romsey.”
Outside of paid work, Malcolm has been a member of the Woodend CFA since 1993, firstly as a junior in the running team and then as a fully active member since 1996.
“I enjoy volunteering with the CFA because it gives me a chance to work in the community and meet new people,” he said.
Malcolm started Macedon Ranges Water Cartage so that he could work independently.
“I saw there was a gap in the market. There was a lack of available local water carters with decent sized loads so when the opportunity to start the business came up, we jumped on it,” he said.
“We provide an important service to locals who are not connected to the reticulated water supply and rely on rainfall to fill their tanks – seeing as we have a lack of rainfall in this area, our service is desperately needed.”
Malcolm said the most challenging part of the job is breakdowns and the lack of access on site for his trucks.
“I enjoy meeting new people and getting around the local area as part of my living though, so that far outweighs the challenges.”
