Plans lodged to turn former Willaston Neptune Patrol Station into mobile coffee drive through
It’s been an eyesore for years – now Willaston’s historic Neptune Patrol station is set for a new lease on life.
Barossa, Clare & Gawler
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A piece of Willaston history could be turned into a coffee drive-through under a proposal put before Gawler City Council.
Bohemian Beans owner Peter Kelly has lodged a development application to transform the old Neptune Petrol Station at 153 Main North Road.
The proposal includes the creation of a mobile coffee business and revegetation of the site, which has become a local “eyesore” despite his historic significance.
Mr Kelly said he hoped to transform the site, not only into a profitable business, but a community asset with a proud history.
“I wanted to get out of driving trucks so I bought a coffee van but needed a site to trade,” he said.
“So I found this site and managed to get in touch with the owners who have been very supportive of my proposal.
“My plan is that I will be leasing the site initially, however, depending on how it all goes, the owners are willing to subdivide so that I can purchase the property and eventually restore the actual petrol station so that it looks good and is not just a derelict.
“I think it would be a nice thing to do for the community as there’s a fair bit of history here that I think should be maintained.”
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.
Instead, Mr Rawlings decided he would build and run the service station himself, on his land, but under Shell’s licensing.
It was the only 24-hour service station at the time but eventually closed in 1963 when the government’s plans to construct a bypass pass the site was abandoned.
“It a definitely a bit of an eyesore at the moment and needs a good clean up,” Mr Kelly said.
“But I’m a bit of a gardener so I think I will enjoy doing that.
“Business wise, we’ll be after the people on their way to work and perhaps the soccer mums doing school drop-offs.
“Some of the locals have concern about traffic but we’ll do what we to minimise any impact.”
The development is one of $4.8 billion worth of projects planned or underway across Gawler.
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