Meet Rosco: Orange Sky’s Largest Laundry Truck

Stories Meet Rosco: Orange Sky’s Largest Laundry Truck Orange Sky has rebuilt our remote truck, ‘Rosco’, into our largest laundry vehicle to date! Now fitted with four washers and four Waru dryers, Rosco can carry the load of two of our regular laundry vans. The laundry truck was dreamed and built in just one day to support the growing need for our services in flood-affected communities across South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales. Rosco is currently supporting people experiencing homelessness and hardship by offering free laundry (and a chat!) on a weekly basis, in the mid-north coast region of New South Wales. Rosco’s Journey Before Rosco became Orange Sky’s largest laundry truck, it was first the trusty vehicle that saw our team travel around Australia to connect with remote communities. The truck was named in 2021 as a homage to long-standing volunteer, the late Rob ‘Rosco’ Scoates, who helped Orange Sky deliver services to communities in need. The Rosco truck today continues to provide support for people in need, much like Rob always did. Who was Rob 'Rosco' Scoates? Get to know Rosco's story as told by his wife, daughter and the Orange Sky co-founders The Van Named After My Dad Innovation and Necessity How did we dream up and build our biggest ever laundry truck in less than a day? They say, ‘necessity is the mother of invention’. When the natural flood disaster hit the Australian east coast in late February 2022, Orange Sky worked quickly, deploying all available resources to support the community relief efforts. In addition to deploying three remote vehicles and one laundry trailer, all sporting three washers and three Waru Dryers, we knew more was needed to support the laundry needs of flood-affected areas. Orange Sky’s Innovation Team quickly upgraded Rosco, transforming it into our largest laundry truck. Nic Marchesi, Orange Sky Co-Founder, stated: "The situation was rapidly worsening, and many homes and people lacked access to laundry. Our aim was to create our largest mobile laundry asset and deploy it to local communities as swiftly as possible to aid those affected" Nic Marchesi This innovative move ensured we could meet the laundry needs of people in flood-affected areas efficiently. Rosco has also been built without a need for mains power. This allows Orange Sky to operate in high demand situations and avoid power challenges that are common during natural disasters. Community Impact From Tropical Cyclone Marcia in 2015, to the 2019 Bushfires and Covid lockdowns, we are committed to helping people affected by extreme weather conditions and other devastating events across the country. Currently, Orange Sky collaborates closely with communities, local authorities, and specialist organisations to identify the highest demand for our free laundry services. Rosco, our largest laundry truck, will continue to support areas with significant washing needs, whether through community recovery efforts or our regular services for those facing tough times. This proactive approach ensures we provide essential laundry services where they are most needed. Want to know more about Orange Sky? What we do Our Services Free laundry and showers Free laundry, showers and conversation for people experiencing homelessness or hardship. Remote Communities We offer free laundry facilities to residents in remote communities - where access can be limited, expensive and unreliable. Natural Disaster Response When disasters strike, we are committed to providing relief for people impacted through clean laundry, warm showers and a safe space for connection. Womens Services Our women's shifts create supportive and safe communities for women experiencing vulnerable living. Scroll for more