Kevin Anthony Preston (SPC 1963-66, PY1968)

We were saddened to learn of the passing of Old Collegian Kevin Anthony Preston (SPC 1963-66, PY1968) on 8 September, 2022.
Kevin was the brother of David (SPC 1958-62, PY1963), Leon (SPC 1959-64) and Carmel, and loving husband of Deta, adored father of five including Tim (SPC 1986-89, PY1991) and Sarah, Michael and Julie, Brock and Olivia, Nick (SPC 1995-97) and Carla, Kathryn and Dan. Kevin was also a grandfather of 11, including Will Preston (SPC 2016-21).

Remembered fondly as a “bus boy from Creswick”, Kevin left school at the age of 16 to work with his father and eldest brother in the family transport company, KT Preston, which was started by his father Ken in 1950.

They carted sheaf hay, bales, bags of chaff – all hand loaded and unloaded from the local chaff mills for J & R Tyner at Newlyn, Kingston and Learmonth. Kevin hauled general freight and hay on the back of an Austin and Bedford before he officially became an employee of his father’s company at age 18. His love of hay carting shines through in his stories and memories of those days.

In the 1970s, the business branched out and when he was 21, Kevin became a partner in KT Preston & Sons Pty Ltd. Hay, bales and chaff were still common loads during that time but progressively, vehicles were purchased to cater for bulk grain cartage.

After his father’s retirement, Kevin managed the business with his brother David, however they separated the business in 2003 when the business continued to grow.

Kevin became the managing director of KT Preston Pty Ltd and worked with his wife, three of his four sons and daughter to carry on the business, which largely serviced the imports and exports of shipping containers and general and interstate freight.

It has been a common sight, and still to this day, to see Kevin’s fleet of immaculate Kenworth prime movers on the road.

The Preston family celebrated 70 years of trading in 2020 with the publishing of a book covering the remarkable journey of the family’s business over the decades.

In 2021, Kevin was inducted into the National Road Transport Hall of Fame and more of his story can be read here

In family tributes since his passing, Kevin has been remembered as “our team leader (and) our go to man”.

He was also remembered as a “brother, work mate and business partner” and “a great team with our Dad … from hay carters to what has now been achieved. A long journey, sometimes difficult, always worthwhile. Your miles are now done”.
Tributes also flowed from the Creswick Football Netball Club, who described Kevin as a “valued supporter who will be greatly missed” and he was remembered fondly by his former classmates as an attendee at his 50-Year SPC Class Reunion at the Lake View Hotel in Ballarat back in 2018.