Driven for Community: Orange Sky on the Road with Isuzu

Red earth and shimmering blue horizons; these are the vistas that greet many of the drivers from Orange Sky, as they roll into remote communities across the country with something a little different. ​ 

The not-for-profit is well known around Australia for its free mobile laundries that assist people doing it tough, whether that be rough sleepers, folks in community housing with no access to laundry facilities, or those picking up the pieces following natural disasters. ​ 

Launched by 20-year-old mates Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett out of a suburban garage in Brisbane in 2014, the service offers more than just laundry facilities on the go. ​ 

They noticed that there was more they could be doing to assist people in the time it took for the laundry cycle to run, so the friends, come co-founders, began striking-up conversations with those accessing the service, to start meaningful chats and build community connections. 

In 2017, Orange Sky had an opportunity to be part of a young leaders’ program that took them into regional and remote communities across Queensland to strategise ways to take their mobile service and apply it to the specific needs of those communities. 

Fresh approach 

Off the back of that program, it became clear that there were two critical factors that demanded a different approach. ​ 

Orange Sky required a more robust and reliable transport solution than their two-wheel drive delivery vans that typically service the metropolitan areas. Specifying the right vehicle would in theory offer more payload, while still being drivable on a standard car licence. ​ 

While Orange Sky services operating in metro Australia relies on a dedicated roster of volunteers, for their remote operations, the teams are sourced from the First Nations candidates residing there and employed by Orange Sky to drive the Isuzu trucks and operate the laundry services. 

“In our discussions, there was a strong desire for meaningful employment in these areas, so we trialled an employment program in both the Lockhart River region and on Palm Island and had great success, said Orange Sky’s Senior Impact Manager, First Nations Communities, Judith Meiklejohn. 

“People love the work, they love that it’s a meaningful, impactful job that helps their communities practically. Importantly, there’s a real sense of ownership. Owning what the service looks like in their community and the impact it has.” 

Before the washing machines can be filled with suds and soap, a research period gives the staff time to assess the lay of the land−sometimes quite literally−to figure out with the community the best locations to add to the roster and connect with the First Nations people living on Country. 

“Owning a washing machine in remote communities can be a significant challenge due to the difficulties of having them delivered as well as environmental factors that make them wear out faster,” said Judith. 

“It takes time to understand each individual remote community, how they operate, who are the influential people and what is the best strategy to deliver the service. ​ This is why partnering with community-controlled organisations is key to our success. We also connect with other organisations that provide public health and wellbeing programs and services for the remote communities, and it takes time to establish those relationships. 

“We then spend a few weeks working in the community, training new staff and working out the schedule so we can reach as many people as possible. We provide ongoing training for our staff in remote communities and support them from our Brisbane head office,” she said. 

Meet the fleet 

Working alongside Brisbane Isuzu Archerfield, Orange Sky began creating a vehicle fleet that would be robust and reliable for the unique conditions in remote Australia. ​ 

Orange Sky’s model mix for its remote operations is predominantly built upon the robust foundation of the Isuzu NNR 45-150 model, a chassis specifically chosen to operate under the critical 4, 500-kilogram Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) threshold. This strategic specification ensures the vehicles remain accessible to a wide pool of potential operators by requiring only a standard car license to operate—a crucial logistical factor. 

Powering these mobile hubs is Isuzu’s dependable 4JJ1-TCS engine, a 3.0L turbo-diesel intercooled powerplant delivering 110kW (150PS) and 375Nm of torque. ​ 

This proven powerplant provides ample performance for both highway transit to remote locations and the low-speed, high-torque demands of community work, paired with the user-friendly operation of Isuzu’s 6-speed automated manual transmission (AMT). ​ 

The NNR’s payload capacity is the unsung hero, providing the necessary thresholds to carry the weight of the custom rear fit-out, which includes six commercial appliances, a comprehensive hot water system, and a heavy-duty off-grid power solution. 

Beyond the driveline, the inherent safety features of the Isuzu NNR platform are another key asset. ​ 

Equipped with some crucial systems for the operating environment, including Anti-lock Brakes (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), operators have confidence and security when navigating diverse and often challenging outback roads. ​ 

The partnership between Isuzu’s dependable, well-specified NNR platform and Orange Sky’s purpose-driven engineering creates a vehicle that is far more than the sum of its parts. ​ 

Combining commercial-grade specifications with innovative modifications to deliver comfort, safety and ultimately, connection to communities in need, has been a winning one. 

“There’s been a really strong connection and familiarity with the Orange Sky Isuzu trucks…they look beautiful and they’re certainly eye-catching on the road,” Judith said. 

“The on-road visibility is fantastic, which is an important factor for the locations in which they operate. The layout in the cab is super accessible and easy to operate whether that is figuring out the wind screen wipers or the indicators or the headlights. ​ 

“The trucks are robust and don't have any issues with the payload for the laundry facilities out the back.” 

Part of the package 

The ongoing support from Brisbane Isuzu Archerfield and Fleet Sales Manager, David Gibson, has meant that no matter where an Orange Sky truck is, aftersales support is available. This comes in the form of timely access to Isuzu genuine parts anywhere in the country, ​ ​ 

“Ordering Isuzu parts, whether it is a replacement side mirror or window glass that has been damaged, has always been straight forward with Brisbane Isuzu Archerfield, they go over and above to assist us,” said Orange Sky’s Asset Operations Specialist, Anthony Parke. 

“We had a passenger window that got broken on the road and the team at Brisbane Isuzu Archerfield packaged up the replacement window in timber so it could be shipped to the remote community without damage - to be installed there! 

“The whole team go above and beyond to get these parts in these remote communities.” 

Supported by the National Parts Distribution Centre in Melbourne—Isuzu Genuine Parts are available on demand to dealerships and Authorised Service Provider Outlets (ASPOs) helping to minimise vehicle downtime for Orange Sky so that their fleet are able to continue delivering the vital support to communities. 

Happy trails 

The team at Orange Sky said they couldn’t be prouder of the success of the Isuzu fleet, which has enabled the business to launch their 18^th remote service this year. ​ ​ 

“The mobility with the Isuzu trucks is a high value point of what we do because we need to travel throughout the community. Many people don't have a car in these communities, which prevents them from getting loads of washing into more central areas,” said Judith. 

“While we don't know anyone when we arrive, people always wave and come over and have a yarn and ask when we can come to their place! 

“There's a really positive reaction to Orange Sky and our Isuzu trucks.”