Kim and John Deegan reflect on family's Goulburn business on eve of retirement

Emotions swirled as well-wishers like former longtime employee, Linda Tiyce, dropped in to say their farewells and share memories.

"It's very daunting but it's the start of a new chapter," Kim said.

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He and John have decided to retire and wind up the landmark Chantry Street business, Deegans Transport, which they took over from their father in 1980. It was a natural progression for the boys whose father, Mick, started a freight carting business on the same site in 1928.

"It was born and bred into us and we knew nothing else," Kim said.

Mick also had business running through his blood. His father, Henry Vincent Deegan, moved the family from Dalgety to Goulburn and then Crookwell where Henry ran a butcher shop. They shifted back to Goulburn and Henry started a general store in Kinghorne Street. Mick delivered groceries to customers using a horse and cart.

By 1928, Mick struck out on his own. He bought a house on the corner of Murac and Chantry Streets, and then another, from which he ran his freight carting business.

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The visible signs of his first fuel depot are evident today; Deegans' office exterior walls are lined with steel from 44 gallon petrol drums. Mick stored fuel for the Australian Army which had a munitions factory on Chantry Street. He was also the agent for Purr-pull fuel from 1939 to 1948 and Golden Fleece from 1948.

"John and I would come down and serve petrol," Kim said.

"Dad sold it at wholesale price and cars would be lined up down the street."

Mick carted grain for Conollys Flour Mill, flour to local bakeries, beer to pubs, stockfeed to the Southern Highlands, wool, general freight for Goulburn businesses and had a Sunday newspaper run from Sydney to Albury. Brother Jim joined him in the business, as did his brother-in-law. A thriving rail hub, from which they delivered to Goulburn and beyond, kept them busy.

"It was a good business and employed a lot of people," Kim said.

He and John helped their father from early on but became fulltime employees straight out of school.

Mick retired in 1980 and the brothers formed a partnership to take the business forward. Kim did the "town run" and John - the Sydney run. Rail freight was drying up but wool and timber cartage and contracts with Public Works and Moran's Produce kept them on the hop.

The business grew and the brothers employed someone to do their Canberra overnight freight run. They established a Yennora depot for general freight into Sydney.

Today there are four drivers, including Kim and John, a fleet of five prime movers, nine trailers two rigid heavy vehicles and smaller trucks. Deegans transported up to 90,000 bales of wool annually to Yennora, courtesy of an Australian Wool Handlers contract. John took the last load on Thursday.

The firm also carts for Austral bricks and Goulburn-based PGH Bricks and Pavers. They deliver 80,000 to 90,000 bricks each quarter to Goulburn homes.

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"We've never been so busy because of the (post) COVID, the construction boom and good wool growing season. We've also delivered all the Tooheys beer into Goulburn all our lives, even when Dad had the business," Kim said.

He told The Post the business could have expanded but customer service would have suffered.

There have been plenty of humorous and eventful moments over the years too, like the time two inmates broke out of Goulburn Jail some 20 years ago.

"Linda and I were sitting in the office and thought we heard gunfire. Then we saw one of our utes drive past at 100 miles an hour," Kim said.

"I wondered what my driver was doing. John was fuelling up outside and said the police shot at the ute. The inmates were in correctional officers' clothing and barefoot and had commandeered the ute from our driver."

The brothers have also watched the highways become increasingly busy, endured the difficulty of securing truck drivers and increasing regulation of the sector.

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Through much of it, Linda Tiyce kept them "in tow." Kim said she was self-taught and soon established herself in a male-dominated industry.

"Without Linda we wouldn't be here. She was our rock and then a little stone came along," he said.

That was Linda's granddaughter, Kirbie Ryrie. She was appointed office manager in 2013 after Linda retired and became 'part of the family.'

"What Kim and John have created over 43 years is incredible. It blows my mind," Kirbie said.

"The business means so much to me. I spend more time here than with my family. We all care about our job, have so much fun, a laugh and get on well together."

Now, it's time for new horizons. John, who married two years ago, said he'd take more time for travel, fishing and enjoying life.

"We've achieved a lot and it's been a pleasure doing what we have....," he said.

"It's a new chapter and I couldn't be more excited."

John said he wouldn't have continued without his brother and was similarly proud of their achievements.

"It's been a good business and I'll really miss that," he said.

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