National Heavy Vehicle Regulations

If you’re involved in packing, loading, moving or unloading a vehicle, then you’re also responsible for complying with the national Chain of Responsibility laws. For example, you must restrain your load to eliminate any risk that it could come off your vehicle under normal driving conditions. You must also stop to pick up any fallen load if it is safe to do so, or arrange for someone to retrieve it. Ongoing failure to comply with the regulations could lead to regulations that mandate enclosed bulk containers for grape movements.

More information about meeting Chain of Responsibility legislation can be found here.

As well as load restraint guidelines, there are a large number of State and National regulations around National Heavy Vehicles, some of which have recently changed in certain State jurisdictions. Any heavy vehicle with a gross vehicle mass of 4.5 tonnes or over requires an instrument of exemption under the Heavy Vehicle National Law.  

We recommended that you familiarise yourself with the various requirements before vintage. Links to more general information about the National Heavy Vehicle road access can be accessed here.