Aliceinthealice: /* Later life */ fix
[[File:Diamond_T_980,_National_Road_Transport_Hall_of_Fame,_2015_(02).JPG|thumb|One of Johannsen's Trucks]]
'''Kurt Johannsen''' (11 January 1915 – 2002) is a true "Son of the Red Centre" and is best remembered as a bush mechanic who developed the worlds first commercial road train.<ref name=":0"></ref> He was also an aviator, fencing contractor, inventor, labourer, mailman, miner and stock man.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref>
== Early life ==
Johannsen was born at [[Deep Well Station]], 80kms south of [[Alice Springs]], to [[Gerhardt Johannsen|Gerhardt]] and Ottilie Johannsen. Gerhardt had emigrated from Denmark and Ottilie was of German descent and the family of often experienced discrimination throughout Kurt's childhood, the period in between two World War's, and Gerhardt was often referred to a "The German" or "The Hun".<ref name=":1">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 3, expected 1)</ref>
In 1922, when Johannsen was 7, the family "accepted the call" to move to [[Hermannsburg, Northern Territory|Hermannsburg]] Mission Station where Gerhardt worked as the station manager ; this was following the sudden death of [[Carl Strehlow|Pastor Carl Strehlow]] in October 1922. The family remained there until 1924 before returning to Deep Well.<ref name=":1" />
However, in Deep Well, all was not well with Central Australia being in the midst of a harsh drought and both of his parents experiencing ill health, so, in 1928, the family abandoned the station and moved in to Alice Springs; which was then called Stuart.<ref name=":1" />
== Working life ==
Johannsen acquired his first driving license at 11 when living at Deep Well<ref name=":0" /> and, following finishing his schooling at 15 in Alice Springs, he was driving his own truck and held the government contract for sanitary and garbage services in the town; as he was underage this contract was cosigned by his father and brother-in-law Bill Petrick.<ref name=":1" />
In 1932 he took on an additional contract as a mail contractor for the region east of Alice Springs and the mail run extended to: Alcoota, Ambalindum, Arltunga, Claraville, Delny, MacDonald Downs, Mount Riddock, Mount Swan, Waite River and Winnecke.<ref name=":1" />
One story told about Johannsen around this period is that he once broke an axel when far from assistance and managed to fix it well enough to get back to town using a mulga tree and a knife.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 2, expected 1)</ref>
Over the following years Johannsen had many roles and was involved in many exploits before, in 1936, starting on his hid most remembered innovation the 'Bitzer' Mulga Express which was designed to be able to haul more as well as handle the bad roads around Central Australia; and, in the early years, was quite an unexpected site.<ref name=":2">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref> Over the following years the 'Bitzer' Mulga Express was followed by the 'Bitzer' Mulga Express II and III, the 'Bitzer' Mulga Express III was able to haul an unheard of 22 tonnes.<ref name=":1" />
Between mail runs and driving his truck Johannsen prospected extensively<ref name=":2" /> and was also involved in various tourism ventures with Australian Expeditions (with Monty Embury) and Bond's Tours.
During World War II Johannsen moved to [[Tennant Creek]] where he opened a garage where he created a wood-gas producer that converted wood into gas to run the motor; it consumed about 1 kg of wood for ever km.
The post-war period was one of boom for Johannsen who was able to purchase many trucks and other mechanical items from army disposal sales and with these vehicles was able to construct the world's first road train, with three self tracking trailers, using a [[Diamond T980]] truck.<ref name=":0" /> These trucks were then used for all kinds of freight but were especially useful for cattle transport which changed the way farming was done as truck transport was better for stock then droving and the cattle arrived in the yards in better condition and therefore fetched higher prices; this also meant that younger cattle could be sold.<ref name=":1" />
== Later life ==
Johannsen retired from mining and transporting in 1980 and purchased a small hobby farm in [[Yankalilla, South Australia|Yankalilla]], South Australia.
Johannsen was inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 2000.<ref name=":0" />
He passed away in January 2002.
== References ==
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
'''Kurt Johannsen''' (11 January 1915 – 2002) is a true "Son of the Red Centre" and is best remembered as a bush mechanic who developed the worlds first commercial road train.<ref name=":0"></ref> He was also an aviator, fencing contractor, inventor, labourer, mailman, miner and stock man.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref>
== Early life ==
Johannsen was born at [[Deep Well Station]], 80kms south of [[Alice Springs]], to [[Gerhardt Johannsen|Gerhardt]] and Ottilie Johannsen. Gerhardt had emigrated from Denmark and Ottilie was of German descent and the family of often experienced discrimination throughout Kurt's childhood, the period in between two World War's, and Gerhardt was often referred to a "The German" or "The Hun".<ref name=":1">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 3, expected 1)</ref>
In 1922, when Johannsen was 7, the family "accepted the call" to move to [[Hermannsburg, Northern Territory|Hermannsburg]] Mission Station where Gerhardt worked as the station manager ; this was following the sudden death of [[Carl Strehlow|Pastor Carl Strehlow]] in October 1922. The family remained there until 1924 before returning to Deep Well.<ref name=":1" />
However, in Deep Well, all was not well with Central Australia being in the midst of a harsh drought and both of his parents experiencing ill health, so, in 1928, the family abandoned the station and moved in to Alice Springs; which was then called Stuart.<ref name=":1" />
== Working life ==
Johannsen acquired his first driving license at 11 when living at Deep Well<ref name=":0" /> and, following finishing his schooling at 15 in Alice Springs, he was driving his own truck and held the government contract for sanitary and garbage services in the town; as he was underage this contract was cosigned by his father and brother-in-law Bill Petrick.<ref name=":1" />
In 1932 he took on an additional contract as a mail contractor for the region east of Alice Springs and the mail run extended to: Alcoota, Ambalindum, Arltunga, Claraville, Delny, MacDonald Downs, Mount Riddock, Mount Swan, Waite River and Winnecke.<ref name=":1" />
One story told about Johannsen around this period is that he once broke an axel when far from assistance and managed to fix it well enough to get back to town using a mulga tree and a knife.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 2, expected 1)</ref>
Over the following years Johannsen had many roles and was involved in many exploits before, in 1936, starting on his hid most remembered innovation the 'Bitzer' Mulga Express which was designed to be able to haul more as well as handle the bad roads around Central Australia; and, in the early years, was quite an unexpected site.<ref name=":2">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 2)</ref> Over the following years the 'Bitzer' Mulga Express was followed by the 'Bitzer' Mulga Express II and III, the 'Bitzer' Mulga Express III was able to haul an unheard of 22 tonnes.<ref name=":1" />
Between mail runs and driving his truck Johannsen prospected extensively<ref name=":2" /> and was also involved in various tourism ventures with Australian Expeditions (with Monty Embury) and Bond's Tours.
During World War II Johannsen moved to [[Tennant Creek]] where he opened a garage where he created a wood-gas producer that converted wood into gas to run the motor; it consumed about 1 kg of wood for ever km.
The post-war period was one of boom for Johannsen who was able to purchase many trucks and other mechanical items from army disposal sales and with these vehicles was able to construct the world's first road train, with three self tracking trailers, using a [[Diamond T980]] truck.<ref name=":0" /> These trucks were then used for all kinds of freight but were especially useful for cattle transport which changed the way farming was done as truck transport was better for stock then droving and the cattle arrived in the yards in better condition and therefore fetched higher prices; this also meant that younger cattle could be sold.<ref name=":1" />
== Later life ==
Johannsen retired from mining and transporting in 1980 and purchased a small hobby farm in [[Yankalilla, South Australia|Yankalilla]], South Australia.
Johannsen was inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 2000.<ref name=":0" />
He passed away in January 2002.
== References ==
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
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