For years, one of the downsides to living on the picturesque sliver of land known as Stanley has been the 20 kilometre drive to the nearest petrol station.
But not for much longer.
The first precious drops in decades are about to start pumping from the centre of town.
Mr Dunne said he was excited to be bringing a petrol station back into the centre of town after more than 20 years.
“It actually used to be a servo,” Mr Dunne said.
“It was something the town needed, especially to support all the visitors we get here. We get between 100,000 and 120,000 visitors over summer, all of who have to drive here.
“It’s a small place. Stanley needs all the facilities that it can hang on to.”
He said the nearest service station – the Stanley Roadhouse – had been located at the turnoff to Stanley on the Bass Highway before it closed “about three or four years ago”.
“Basically we go to either Smithton or the Rocky Cape Roadhouse, even just for a tank to run around town. Or to mow the lawn … or to go fishing,” he explained.
“We’ve had the help of Mark and Anne Hursey and a fair bit of help from the council and it’s all going ahead.”
He said the station would use an above ground tank made in Melbourne, which would then be filled up with petrol from the BP at Smithton.
“We had a look around Stanley for viability of sites, and this was just a good fit with the existing supermarket and the hot food we have,” he said.
“It’ll be independent and set up for self-serve, and it’ll be set for 24 hour useage. You know, for people that may want to go fishing early in the morning … or mow their lawn.”
He said having petrol would be especially convenient for the local seafood businesses, which regularly truck fresh seafood across Tasmania.
