Coffee bus Bohemian Beans opens at Willaston reviving Neptune’s Service Station

A Gawler icon once left to ruin has been brought back to life by an ex-truckie with a vision to deliver fast delicious coffee for locals on the run.

A Gawler icon once left to ruin has been brought back to life by entrepreneurs with a vision to deliver fast delicious coffee for locals on the run.

Last year former truck driver, Peter Kelly and his daughter Chelsea began looking for a location to launch a drive-through cafe service, when they found the old Neptune’s Service Station in Willaston.

The service station which had been disused for decades was in dire need of a refresh.

The pair did so with revegetation and renovation of the site, with Chelsea eventually leaving the endeavour for work in Port Lincoln.

What was born was Bohemian Beans.

Peter Kelly and his daughter Chelsea Kelly at the old Neptune Petrol Station site in 2020. Picture: Emma Brasier

Since then Mr Kelly, aided by a barista and two staff members in training, has forged on, with the cafe officially opening on Monday.

“There was a few months looking around and making inquiries, not finding anything suitable,” he said.

“We came to Gawler which did appeal to me, I went to the council and they gave me a list of places zoned for purpose for coffee and food vans but had to started thinking about a private property.”

Mr Kelly said that after discovering the site on Main North Rd at Willaston he wasn’t taken away at first with the retro building, and was instead focused on the location of the land.

Neptune's Service Station in the 1950s. Picture: Supplied

The transformation of Neptune Service Station to Bohemian Beans drive through coffee. Picture: Supplied

“I do love the building now, but at the time I was looking for somewhere I could line up a few cars in, for a drive through set up,” he said.

“It was overgrown and I thought well, hopefully if it’s not being used the owners will be agreeable to me renting it.

“The building isn’t in great shape to be honest it does need a fair bit of work … which I would do if I owned it and the business was going well enough, I’d be happy to spend some money on it putting all the old logo’s back.”

Currently Bohemian Beans is operating out of an old school bus, with coffee and cakes served as customers drive through the historic site.

Mr Kelly said that in future if he were able to purchase the land, and subject to council approval, he would restore the old station and put decking out the back which looks over Hewett and the edge of the Barossa Valley.

Staff at Bohemian Beans, beside the coffee bus which sits next to the old Neptune's Service Station. Picture: Supplied

The site made headlines in the 1950s, when Laurie and Joan Rawlings rejected a proposal from Shell to purchase the property to establish a service station themselves.

The station eventually closed in 1963 when a government plan for a freeway past the site was scrapped.

“People do love it, we’ve had people come and photograph it, they do seem to have an affinity for the old servo,” Mr Kelly said.

Mr Kelly said the business is starting as a drive through cafe, but he would like to offer options to dine-in in future.

“I can’t complain, each day so far has been great, the customers have been lovely.”