Twist in Queensland truckie’s campaign for toilets at Gatton Heavy Vehicle Decoupling Facility

A long, hard-fought battle for privacy when nature calls at a busy truck pitstop has taken another bizarre twist.

Truckie advocate Wes Walker has spent the last 14 months campaigning for toilet facilities to be installed at the Gatton Heavy Vehicle Decoupling Facility west of Brisbane.

He brought along his own porcelain throne, which he sat on in full view of passing motorists along the Warrego Highway, as part of a dramatic protest which attracted widespread support.

Mr Walker thought he’d finally won the ongoing saga when two portable toilets mysteriously turned up at the $18 million facility, only for Queensland’s Department of Main Roads and Transport to demand the unauthorised toilets be removed and threatening to fine the company responsible.

The government has since backflipped and allowed the portaloos to remain short term, much to the relief of hundreds of drivers who use the facility to drop off heavy loads before continuing their journeys.

Mr Walker has vowed to personally clean the toilets every day at his own expense in the hope the toilets will remain a permanent fixture.

‘It should be a human right to have bathroom or toilet facilities here,’ the disability pensioner told Seven News.

‘When mother natures calls, especially with older people, you do need to go to the bathroom.

‘I will clean the toilets every morning because that’s what these people deserve. I’m only saying what they say.’

Fellow drivers are just as relieved.

‘It’s better than doing it on the grass or out in the paddock,’ one man added.

Mr Walker denied being responsible for the portaloos turning up earlier this month

‘What do we have to do to get permission? It was costing them (TMR) nothing,’ he told Big Rigs National Road Transport Newspaper before the government backflip.

‘What do I have to do? I’ve tried hard and hard. Bless their hearts who did do it.

‘People who carry this country are treated like second-class citizens. It has to stop.’

Wes Walker spent 14 months campaigning for toilets at the facility west of Brisbane by bringing along his own porcelain throne to make a point

The Queensland government hailed the Gatton Heavy Vehicle Decoupling facility as a boost for the freight and heavy vehicle industries at its grand unveiling last May.

The facility was designed to make it easier and more efficient for drivers to break down and reconfigure their trucks before continuing over the Toowoomba Range or into Brisbane.

But the state government faced a massive spray from drivers after forgetting to install toilets at the site.

The department argued it didn’t want the facility to be also used as a rest area and drivers could use the bathroom facilities at the BP service station down the road.

It also installed CCTV to fine drivers caught leaving waste behind or relieving themselves onsite.

The two portable toilets will stay for now after a backflip from the Queensland government, thanks to the persistence of Wes Walker (pictured with the facilities)

‘Well can I say it gives me the s***s,’ Mr Walker told A Current Affair a year ago.

‘I’ll be honest I’ve teared up a bit … I’m an emotional man, this is wrong. They [truckies] are the lifeline of the country.’

In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Queensland roads minister Mark Bailey confirmed the portable toilets will return.

‘We know how important it is to the freight industry that heavy vehicle rest areas and decoupling pads are safe and fit for purpose,’ he said.

I have spoken with Senator Glenn Sterle and received an update on conditions at the Gatton decoupling area, highlighting the need for toilet facilities on site.

‘I’m committed to working with Senator Sterle, Transport and Main Roads and the heavy vehicle industry to find a permanent solution at the site, and have commenced discussions with my department on how best to do this.

‘In the interim, portable toilets will be returned to the area.

The Gatton Heavy Vehicle Decoupling facility is used by hundreds of truck drivers to drop off their heavy loads before continuing their journeys

The National Road Freighters Association Inc hailed Mr Walker as a legend on the behalf of the trucking industry.

‘On behalf of the NRFA, including the transport industry as a whole, we would like to say thank you to Wes Walker for all of his efforts at highlighting the lack of toilet facilities at the Gatton Pad,’ it wrote on Facebook. 

Your passion and ‘never say die’ approach got the attention of the right people and finally common sense prevailed.

‘Thank you Wes. You’re a legend.’ 

However, there could be another twist with the saga far from over. 

University of Queensland runs agriculture programs and a research station on surrounding land it owns nearby.

It has expressed concerns about the biosecurity risk posed by human waste and litter from the toilets.

‘Designs for any future toilet facilities at the site will need to take a number of factors into consideration, including the proximity of the area to the University of Queensland Agricultural Research Station,’ roads minister Mr Bailey added.

The Queensland government spent $18million on the facility but forgot to instal toilets