THE biggest cheer at the 2009 Mount Isa Business Awards at the weekend was saved for Ringrose, Transport, who took out the prestigious Business of the Year award.
Business owners Trish and Owen Ringrose, surrounded by family who had flown to the city for the awards night, took to the stage late on Saturday to accept the coveted prize to much applause and well wishes.
The couple said it was their ongoing commitment to customer service and the hard work of their loyal staff that had allowed them to grow their business during the last decade from a single truck and two trailers to five road trains servicing all areas of the Gulf and much of the Northern Territory.
But Mr Ringrose very nearly missed the awards night at the Mount Isa Civic Centre after he assisted a seriously injured station worker in the remote Northern Territory seek medical treatment.
Mr Ringrose had been travelling along his usual route, with his son-in-law Grant Lewis, to Calvert-Hills station in the Northern Territory on Thursday afternoon.
When they arrived at the homestead, it was unusually quiet.
Searching the area, they found the station’s mechanic stumbling from the workshop dripping with blood - an accident had left him with large gashes across his chest, side and shoulder.
The mechanic said he was the only worker at the homestead, where the accident took place.
Mr Lewis began immediately administering first aid to the man while Mr Ringrose collected a Ute from the shed.
Knowing the nearest airstrip the Royal Flying Doctor Service could land their plane was at Wollogorang Station, about two hours away, they sped along the roads to meet the medical aircraft.
The RFDS plane landed at the Wollogorang airstrip at 8.30pm.
However, upon landing the plane hit a kangaroo that had suddenly leaped onto the airstrip, destroying one of the aircraft’s propellers.
Unable to fly, the RFDS staff brought the patient to the aircraft and began treating him while everyone waited for another RFDS plane to arrive.
It finally reached the airstrip at 11.30pm.
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In the minutes before it landed, Mr Ringrose and Mr Lewis drove up and down the airstrip to ensure no more daring kangaroos planned to leap onto the strip.
Luckily the plane successfully landed and the man was able to be transported to Mount Isa Hospital, where he is believed to be currently undergoing treatment.
Mr Ringrose finally arrived back in Mount Isa after 4pm on Saturday.
He had just enough time to tidy himself up and rush to the awards night.
Ever-humble about his role in the incident, Mr Ringrose said anyone would have done the same if they found themselves in that situation.
But Ringrose Transport takes their role as an essential goods provider and general lifeline to the Gulf community very seriously.
Having lived in the Solomon Islands and Fiji before arriving in the North West, they are familiar with the enormous responsibilities placed on transport companies to ensure isolated communities receive necessary goods on time.
But Ringrose Transport also goes “the extra mile” to assist the Gulf community.
Mrs Ringrose said Gulf residents will phone them asking to pick up a birthday present or a shop will ask them to collect petty cash from the bank.
During the floods earlier this year, Ringrose continued to store freight and transported it to the airport not expecting to be paid.
“But that’s all part of this business – sometimes you just have to do that little bit extra for people,” Mr Ringrose said.
The couple said they also will chase other suppliers and manufacturers to ensure parts, goods and freight will be delivered on time.
Mrs Ringrose said the business award was a “very surprising” reward for the many long days they have put into growing the business.
“And at the end of the day though it’s our staff that are the backbone of the business – you don’t get anywhere without good staff and we have the best in the world,” she said.
On a stellar night for the business, Ringrose also won the Transport Award for the third time.