The Very First Nu-Tank

It was the day after the then biggest stock exchange point fall drop in history. On Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 777.68 points. A $1.2 trillion nose dive. The world was holding its breath to see what Tuesday would bring.

On that Tuesday, in the northern outskirts of Rockhampton, a new business was about to make and sell its very first product. The date, 30th September, 2008.

A rather ominous start for a new business one might think, especially when the Managing Director, Stephen Trail, was 20 years of age, and a relative ‘new comer’ to town.

Undeterred by world events, Steve and his team went about making their first water tank, for their first sales order, it was a going to be a special day.

However, unaware to Steve, a Mark Larsen had been regularly driving past the new manufacturing business, called Nu-Tank, on his way to and from his property, watching the progress being made on the site. And on Tuesday, 30th September, 2008, Mark decided to drive in the gates for the first time to say hello, as the mould for the first tank was being taken off the 5500 gallon water tank inside. “I’ll buy it”, Mark says by way of introducing himself.

“It’s already sold mate”, Steve replied. “Are they here with money in their pocket ready to pay for it”, Mark asks. “No”, Steve answers. “Well make them another one”, Mark responds. Tuesday, 30th September, 2008, one tank made, two sold, what looming global recession! It was indeed a special day at Nu-Tank.   

Mark still happily tells the story and proudly shows off the very first water tank manufactured by Nu-Tank, at his Etna Creek property.

“It certainly makes that first sale more memorable”, recalls Steve. The original customer for the first tank, perhaps still does not know that they actually got the second tank made, unless of course they’ve met Mark Larsen.