Pics from the Past | Shepparton’s Shell: from fuel to fond memories

It closed in 2017 and was demolished in 2018 to make way for the Shepparton Art Museum.

The News 2017

“In 1967 the original Victoria Park Lake service station was “the place to be”, according to long-time Shepparton resident Don Ducksbury.

In the mid-1980s the service station was replaced with a newer building and yesterday the 50-year-old landmark closed its doors for the last time.

“It was unusual for the council to grant a permit to put the service station on parkland,” Mr Ducksbury said.

“But the local representative for Shell realised its potential and left Shell to take on the lease when it was first built.”

Mr Ducksbury was the second person to lease the site, taking on the lucrative business in 1969, and said it was very successful.

“It had easy access just over the railway line and was one of the most successful service stations in country Victoria,” he said.

“Back then they had speed boats on the lake, and it won a lot of Shell business achievement awards during its time.”

With strict restrictions around selling fuel on Sundays, Mr Ducksbury said he had to be careful to only sell between 10am and noon for fear of being prosecuted.

“I had no trouble finding young men to work in it because it was a very scenic spot for young ladies, so we had gentlemen lining up,” he said.

Lost Shepparton Facebook comments:

Tina Monroe

It was the biggest place to be Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights for cars and people to meet up and a place to do laps in cars. Now it’s just a memory.

Jon Darley

I remember going there and petrol was 55c a litre and a coke was about 50c a can.

Chrissy Forbes

My parents had the restaurant there in about 1974, and we loved it, but hard work.

Kim Vallance

Lived here when it was a servo, and we did laps around Tom Collins Dve, and living here now. Love the new museum and the precinct. Beautiful surroundings and wetlands and walking tracks. The new art museum, SAM, and its surrounds are a beautiful addition to the area.

Dennis Murtagh

Worked there in the 1970s. It was my first job.

Joy Thomson

I made milkshakes there and waited on tables every Sunday for some pocket money whilst I was still at school, I think. For the Wyne family.

Gary Bourke

We would all fuel up there on the dirt bikes, then our road bikes and cars, and I think they had the first car wash in town.

William Ely

I remember spending a morning there back in the early ’70s with the Scouts doing a survey of “seat belt” use; before seats belts were a thing!

Pam Henderson

Before the servo was there we used to play softball on that site.

Artie Stevens

I like the art museum, but when I pulled in recently to fill up, they’d run out of petrol.

Bryan Slade

Memories of filling up at 17c per litre there in the mid-’70s! Mind you, earned just $62 per week (and paid $3.80 tax).

Alan Cahill

As kids we filled up our dirt bikes there in the morning and lined up for a pressure wash on the way home. Can remember a metallic green HD Holden always parked there, it had unusual curved spoked mags. He may have worked there. Was the first place I seen the oil change glass bottle where they sucked the oil out the dipstick hole.

Tom Radisas

Fuel stop, spare parts, toilets, garage mechanic on site, workshop with hoists, and a restaurant with a view.

That’s a service station. Not like the ones of today.

Patricia Moran,

My third son, Richard, used to ride his BMX bike there to work after school and weekends in the ’70s. Built his own bike with his earnings.

Crystal Fleur

Used to call in and put $2 petrol in my mini minor in 1976. On the left was the mechanic. Had another car fixed there in ’77.

Geoff Allemand is an amateur photographer and Lost Shepparton Facebook page admin. Please share your Pics from the Past at pastpics@mmg.com.au