By Sean O’Connell

Tony Kirchner has called time on his long career running Kirchner Trucks in Horsham.

The diesel mechanic and wife Jenny are now semi-retired after 39 years working on heavy transportation vehicles, finishing up at the depot on Stawell Road.  

Mr Kirchner said he started in the industry after securing an apprenticeship as a diesel mechanic, working at International Harvester in Adelaide.

He relocated from Adelaide to Horsham and started work at Millers Civil Contractors as a mechanic. 

Mr Kirchner said he then  purchased land and started his own business at Quantong,  later relocating into Horsham at various locations before building the Stawell Road shed in 1992. 

Mr Kirchner said he and Jenny quickly settled in the region and involved themselves in several community groups.

Mr Kirchner played football for Quantong before becoming club president in 1996, when he witnessed the merger with Noradjuha.

“Jenny was involved with the league and netball for more than 25 years,” he said.

“Jenny and I have three kids. The eldest, Lee, is still working with me. He’s going to run a business himself.”

Between starting the business in 1985 and the present day, Mr Kirchner said he had seen many changes in trucks and how they were serviced. 

“When I started it was all mechanical. I used to do engine rebuilds, gear boxes, differentials, everything. Nowadays, they don’t do that stuff,” he said.

“The engine companies make it too hard. They try to keep everything in-house.”

Despite these changes, Mr Kirchner said he believed there was demand for diesel mechanics – even if their tasks had changed as trucks had become more electronic.

“There is always something breaking down,” he said. 

“The last lot I had working for me spent more time on a computer than what they did swinging a spanner.”

Mr Kirchner said he enjoyed sprint cars. 

He aspires to attend more motorsport events overseas after seeing sprint cars in the United States.

“I’m a member of the Warrnambool Speedway Club. I like the mechanical side of it – how you can make them go faster and better,” he said.

Mr Kirchner said his business, which was purchased by Adelaide-based CMV Group, had led to lifelong relationships.

“I enjoyed a lot of friendships. A lot of older guys come back and find me,” he said.

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