MANG

The title Mang comes from Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, where Mang the bat moves freely between worlds. For William, the name began as a Scouting nickname, but over time it became something far more personal — a symbol of a life spent moving between freight yards and boardrooms, Customs houses and government offices, family life and global travel, practical work and corporate responsibility.

This book is not simply a memoir about customs, freight forwarding or international logistics. It is the story of a working life shaped by movement, people, pressure, humour, mistakes, loyalty and resilience. From childhood memories riding beside his father in trucks, to his first job as a teenage document runner at Melbourne Airport, William traces the path that took him through the wharves, air freight sheds, Customs systems, management offices and global freight networks that helped shape modern Australian logistics.

Along the way, Mang captures a world that has changed dramatically. It recalls the days of paper documents, physical lodgements, Customs-controlled depots, hand-delivered cheques, personal relationships and practical problem-solving. It also follows the industry's evolution into a world of systems, compliance, automation, global projects and increasingly faceless decision-making.

There are stories of opportunity and pressure, from earning a Customs Agent's Licence and dealing with real-life border issues, to participating in Customs exchanges, managing teams, supporting customers, navigating operational failures and working on major international system projects. Some stories are funny, some are confronting, and others reveal the unseen responsibility carried by those who work behind the border.

At its heart, however, Mang is also a family story.

William writes openly about the influence of his father's work ethic, the values learned through Scouting, the mentors who shaped his career, and the importance of treating people with respect. He also reflects honestly on the personal cost of ambition, travel, responsibility and burnout. The book recognises that professional achievement can come at a price when family, health and home are pushed too far into the background.

Through it all, Susan and their children remain central to the story. Mang is dedicated to family, and its deeper message is that success is not measured only by titles, promotions, travel or career milestones, but by the people who stand beside you and the lessons you carry forward.

Mang – A Life Between Freight, Family and Fortune is a memoir for anyone who has worked their way up from the ground floor, built a career through persistence, carried responsibility for others, or looked back and realised that the journey was about far more than the job itself.

It is an Australian story of freight, family, leadership, loyalty and learning — the making of Mang.