Barb’s Kitchen Minden closed: State resumption pumps iconic Warrego Highway service station dry

An iconic service station between Toowoomba and Brisbane has ceased to exist after more than a decade serving motorists. Here’s why, and what is happening next.

Barb's Kitchen on the Warrego Highway at Minden will be closing after more than a decade servicing the Lockyer Valley and surrounds.

After more than a decade servicing the Lockyer Valley and surrounds, a beloved family-owned service station and gift store has now closed its doors.

Barb’s Kitchen, off the Warrego Highway at Minden, took a massive hit to its revenue after the Department of Transport and Main Roads’ resumption of the service station’s fuel tanks.

Store owner Barbara Frohloff said she had only been notified three weeks earlier of TMR’s intentions to begin removing the property’s fuel tanks on November 25.

“All three tanks have now been removed by TMR and I’ve had to make the decision to close up shop because it’s just not viable to stay without the fuel,” she said.

“There’s no longer a future in the place.”

Barb's Kitchen Minden owner Barbara Frohloff will soon say farewell to the iconic store off the Warrego Highway.

Ms Frohloff said the closure would also leave seven of her staff members without a job.

Property data has revealed Barb’s Kitchen is not the only property TMR has eyed off, having last year purchased a nearby property at 3059 Warrego Highway, Minden.

A vacant block behind the former All Four x Four Parts wrecking yard, across the road from Barb’s Kitchen, is also owned by the state.

The iconic pink shop front continued to supply motorists and its loyal customers with food, coffee and gifts for a few more weeks until the business closed for good.

“I’m trying to be positive about it all, I’m 65 now and I think it’s time for me to slow down,” Ms Frohloff said.

“I will be glad not to deal with the flooding and I’ll still have my shop at Fernvale.”

In 2019 Barb took over the former The Girls’ Coffee Bar at 1506 Brisbane Valley Highway, where a second hot pink cafe and gift store was established.

Barbara Frohloff outside the Barb’s Kitchen Fernvale store.

Ms Frohloff said she has been overwhelmed by the support from locals and other loyal customers as the news of her impending closure spreads.

“I thank them for their continued support, I’ve made some very good friends over the years,” she said.

The store officially ceased trading on December 6, making the fateful announcement to its loyal customers via Facebook.

The store’s closure has left residents curious as to what will take its place, with the Department of Transport and Main Roads revealing plans for a major future upgrade.

A TMR spokesman said the department has completed the Warrego Highway East masterplan to identify future transport requirements between Dinmore and Helidon Spa.

TMR has protected a transport corridor for the potential future upgrades, which will improve safety, traffic flow and cater for future growth, and will follow the current Warrego Highway.

“TMR’s vision for the Warrego Highway is to separate local and through traffic by building service roads that connect the current numerous side streets and property accesses adjacent to the highway, to strategically placed interchanges,” the TMR spokesman said.

“This vision will ultimately reduce the number of higher risk conflict points on the highway and allow road users to safely access the highway using on and off-ramps.”

In response to the closure of Barb’s Kitchen due to the state’s resumption of the properties fuel tanks, the TMR spokesman said the department was unable to comment on any individual properties or dealings with landowners.

“We can confirm however, that we typically don’t resume land for projects until construction is imminent. We do have a policy that allows landowners to approach us and request that we buy their property at fair market value in advance of the resumption process,” the spokesman said.

TMR has received a $361.7m funding commitment from both the state and federal governments to identify future priority upgrades on the Warrego Highway.

It’s understood a time frame for future projects is yet to be established.