Three generations on the road

by Nick Rowe
Trucking has been a constant in the Bramstedt family for more than six decades.
Sixty years after its beginnings, Bramstedt Livestock Transport remains a vital presence in Gippsland agriculture, transporting livestock between farms, saleyards and processors across Victoria and interstate.
The story began with Allan Bramstedt, who purchased his first truck - a Ford - in 1959, carting milk and wood around the district. By 1966, Allan and his wife Joan had bought a local cattle transport business from Norm Canobie, laying the foundations for what would become AT & JM Bramstedt & Son Livestock Transport - later to be called Bramstedt Livestock Transport.
The early years demanded long hours and resilience. Trips to places like Bombala often meant leaving on a Friday night and returning late Sunday, navigating narrow roads with little rest and even less margin for error. "There were no sleepers in those days - Dad would sleep across the seats and me on the floor," Allan's son Trevor recalls.
It was a tough introduction to the industry for Trevor, who spent his childhood in the passenger seat before getting his licence at 18 and joining the business. "All I've ever done is this," Trevor said.
When Allan suffered a heart attack in the mid-1980s, Trevor was thrust into the responsibility of running the business. "It was all of a sudden, the business had to be run," he said.
Under Trevor's leadership, the operation expanded beyond its local roots, transporting livestock across Victoria and interstate, often following seasonal patterns as stock moved up the eastern seaboard and back again depending on feed and market conditions, with work also extending into South Australia and Western Australia, where loads are often transferred at the border.
Growth also came through the acquisition of Jolly Transport, a long-established local operator. Rather than absorb the business entirely, the Bramstedts retained the Jolly name in their branding— maintaining continuity for its customers while also recognising the contribution of Geoff and Chris Jolly, who continue to work in the business.
Over time, the fleet evolved from a single tray truck into a modern operation, now including a number of B-doubles and specialised livestock vehicles built to meet increasingly complex demands.
In 2014, the company achieved a national first, securing approval for a Performance-Based Standards (PBS) registered livestock vehicle - known within the industry as the "Lego Truck".
Today, the business is carried forward by the third generation, with Daniel Bramstedt and his brother Taylor joining as partners in 2017. For Daniel, the scale of the operation reflects how embedded the business is within the farming community.
"In the last 12 months I was checking our records and we have worked for about 2500 different customers over that time," he said.
While dealing with large operations, the company still works directly with even the smallest farms. "It's a personal service - you're going onto people's properties," Daniel said.
That connection has been central to the business across all three generations. Trevor said one lesson from his father had always stayed with them. "Your little customers are as important as your big customers," he said.
The nature of the work has shifted alongside changes in agriculture, with fewer, larger farms and the closure of local saleyards reshaping how livestock is moved across the region. "There have been a lot of changes in the industry over the years," Daniel said.
"What used to be a half-hour run into Warragul might now be a three-hour trip visiting multiple properties."
Those changes have added new layers of complexity, with longer distances, tighter logistics and increased pressure on operators. At the same time, regulation and compliance requirements have grown significantly, particularly around animal welfare and driver fatigue.
"It's not just driving a truck anymore, there are a lot more regulations to comply with, and we complete a number of audits each year on our procedures," Daniel said.
The job itself remains physically demanding and, at times, unpredictable. Daniel recalled one moment early in his career when a routine job quickly turned. While it ended safely, he and Trevor said it highlighted the risks involved in working with livestock.
"I had a few vealers in the crate and one spun around and came straight back at me," he said. "It knocked me off my feet and threw me up and over. I remember grabbing the rail thinking it could have been a lot worse."
Experiences like that highlight the level of skill required in livestock transport — something Trevor and Daniel said was often underestimated — and finding the right people remained one of the biggest challenges. "You need someone that's good with trucks, good with people and good with stock - that's hard to find," Daniel said.
Daniel said the business, like the farming industry it supported, had always been shaped by broader conditions. "We go as well as the farmer goes," he said.
Despite the challenges, the Bramstedts have remained closely tied to the community that has supported them for six decades. From local sporting clubs to events and fundraisers - including allowing the Warragul Lions club access to facilities for its firewood fundraising operation, the business continues to contribute across the region.
Trevor said one of the most noticeable changes in recent years had been the number of women entering the industry.
"We've had our first female drivers in the last few years," he said. "It's been great to see — they can do the job just as well as anyone."
While Daniel and Taylor's children are still young, Trevor said it was too early to know what the future might hold, but with younger family members coming through, a fourth generation may one day follow.