The Australian road transport industry lost one of its most popular and larger-than-life identities on February 17 following a road accident.
Popular road transport and motoring journalist Geoff Paradise passed away on February 17.
Geoff failed to recover from injuries suffered in a collision between his car and a bus at Matcham on the NSW Central Coast on February 11 after being airlifted by Westpac Helicopter Rescue to Newcastle’s John Hunter Hospital.
Geoff was well known as a road transport magazine editor, including writing a regular column for Fairfax Media.
Back in 1981, Geoff founded Street Machine magazine out of the ashes of the infamous Van Wheels.
He got his start in the magazine business in 1970, when, as a 16-year-old apprentice spray painter, he wrote to Kevin Wolfe, the editor of Australian Hot Rodding Review, to complain about the quality of the pictures.
Wolfe wrote back: “If you think you can do better, do it yourself.” Geoff promptly did just that and was paid $16 for his first feature. Within three years, he was the editor of the same mag.
He then moved to the United States and picked up a job as features editor at the most prestigious of all modified car mags, Hot Rod.
In October last year following a long, varied and successful career as a passenger car and commercial vehicles journalist and publisher, Geoff joined the Daimler Truck and Bus team as senior manager public affairs. In his role he managed the publicity for Mercedes-Benz Truck and Bus, Freightliner Trucks and Fuso Truck and Bus.
“Geoff had an infectious passion for all things automotive and his loss will be significant to all of us in the industry and all who knew Geoff,” says David McCarthy from Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific.
Geoff’s wife Jacqui and children Nick, Amy and Maddy were present at the time of his passing.
ABC’s thoughts and condolences are with his family at this difficult time.
Photography: Peter Bateman