Port petrol co-op bid

Jessica Benton
A cooperative fuel outlet could help Portarlington cover the loss of its only service station, according to a community group.
Portarlington Community Association wants to set up a cooperative station to replace the fuel pumps of Edens Garage, set to make way for a supermarket.
Loss of the pumps would leave residents of Portarlington, In-dented Head and St Leonards with Drysdale as their closest option for fuel.
Association president Monica Hayes said residents had expressed support for a community-owned petrol station.
The plan would run along the lines of a 2006 Bellarine Community Bank service station proposal, with residents buying shares to provide capital.
“To drive such a proposal would be excellent,” Ms Hayes said.
“I know people from the community association looked at it a few years ago and did a lot of investigation, so certainly we’d be interested in investigating it further with other local organisations.
“I really hope the idea progresses further this time.”
Ms Hayes said the loss of Edens Garage would have a severe impact, particularly on elderly motorists, boat users and tourists.
Edens owner Lucy Skowronski confirmed the garage would close after 35 years.
She said a development company wanted to buy the site to build an IGA supermarket.
The state opposition used the impending closure of the garage in parliament last year to highlight the impact of increasing land taxes on regional businesses.
Member for Northern Victoria Donna Petrovich told parliament she was shocked to discover the limited availability of service stations during a holiday on the peninsula.
St Leonards Progress Association secretary Bob Hynes hoped the closure of Edens Garage would stir interest in establishing the cooperative station after a lack of support led to the shelving of the 2006 proposal.
“I’d like to see this set up in Portarlington, where shareholders contribute money and the community bank loans money at a competitive rate,” he said.
“It’s a small set up and would probably require about $25,000 to $50,000.”
Indented Head Community Association secretary Ingrid Novosel wondered why fuel companies were not interested in the area.
“I’ve been told there was once two service stations at Indented Head and now when the population has increased we have none,” she said.