Minyip now has a fueling station on Mill Street after three year battle

The community fought hard to keep their station open just to see it close. It then took a three year journey to finally open a 24 hour, unstaffed fueling station on Mill Street.

Minyip Progress Association Project manager, Ray White said getting the fuel station up and running, from the time it was closed to the opening on March 10, was close to three years.

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"There were not many opportunities to get land," Mr White said.

"Unfortunately finalising that purchase was the biggest stumbling block."

GrainCorp needed to subdivide a silo block which was finalised in September 2020.

The project received a $101,000 grant under the Drought Relief Funding.

"We had the money before we had the land, which is unusual," Mr White said.

The project also received $40,000 from Bendigo Bank and the community raised funds and donations to get the project over the line.

The total cost of the project was approximately $195,000.

"It was a fair bit of work in getting it all together,' Mr White said.

COVID-19 halted production for a while. The biggest issue was when fuel equipment and tanks were delivered from Germany and there was no one to unload the ships carrying the supplies.

"We had a long delay in getting the tanks. We were ready for them in December but we didn't get them on site until two weeks ago," Mr White said.

Mr White said having this station will have a positive effect on Minyip's community.

"It's made a difference already. We've already pumped out a huge amount of fuel in four days," he said.

"People have said it's great they can now fill up before they go somewhere.

"Before if you had to go to Melbourne, your first fuel stop was Stawell.

"Not only did you have to have enough petrol to get home, you needed enough petrol to get where you needed to go next time you went out."

MINYIP'S JOURNREY:

The fueling station will have unleaded petrol, diesel, and AdBlue.

The station has a centre bowser with hoses on both sides and can be accessed for both sides.

"We have high flow diesel pumps which means truckies can come in. They have been going to Donald to fill up," Mr White said.

"And we have good double wide access, which we said we wanted from the beginning."

On Saturday, the Minyip Progress Association will hold a Working Bee for the landscaping around the station.

"I need as many bodies as I can get. Turn up at 9am with a shovel and a rake," Mr White said.

The opening was attended by Federal Member Dr Anne Webster, Lowan MP Emma Kealy, Yarriambiack Shire Mayor Graham Massey and chief officer Jesse Holmes, along with shire councillors Corinne Heintze and Tom Hamilton.

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