Rusty's service station one obstacle from completion

New and improved fuel stop expected to open early next year.

GOOD PLAN: Member for Lockyer Jim McDonald, with Rusty's service station builder John Fazackerley and owner Ross McPhee, says the new exit onto Niemeyer Rd will enhance road safety in the area. Picture: Dominic Elsome

AN iconic pit stop at the side of the Warrego Highway is just one last obstacle away from reopening.

Rusty's service station at Hatton Vale has faced a number of setbacks since it closed for refurbishment in August last year.

The owners have contended with unexpected delays, extensive theft and disruptive weather, but the finish line is in sight.

Although the entrance into the servo will remain the same, the previous exit, which pushed cars and trucks straight back onto the highway, has been closed and moved to direct drivers onto the adjacent Niemeyer Rd.

The station won't be able to open until upgrades to that road are completed to accommodate for the increased traffic volume.

Moving the exit was not a mandatory part of Rusty's overhaul but the decision was made in an effort to improve safety along that stretch of the highway.

Owner and Daygold Group director Ross McPhee said he was excited for the community to experience the revitalised servo, which would once again become a place not just to stop for fuel but to catch up with friends and enjoy a bite to eat.

He is hoping doors will open early next year with refreshed toilet and kitchen facilities.

"You talk to people and they say they used to come here all the time for breakfast and things like that ... We want to create that again,” Mr McPhee said.

"It's a lot of hard yards but we're getting towards the closing stages now.

"It's like a pit stop halfway between Brisbane and Toowoomba.”

Four double-sided pumps will be available at the front of the station and four diesel pumps will be at the back, with Shell pegged to supply the petrol.

Lockyer MP Jim McDonald served as a police officer in the Lockyer Valley for 27 years before entering state politics last year.

Mr McDonald submitted reports as an officer to the Department of Transport and Main Roads recommending the exit of the service station be moved to Niemeyer Rd.

"This section of the Warrego Highway is over-represented in terms of fatal and serious crashes,” Mr McDonald said.

"Every complex dynamic that we can take out of it makes it safer.

"Governments normally do that, but here we've got a private business who are actually helping with that solution ... It's something I think the community will greatly welcome.

"There are a lot of families who have lost loved ones or had people seriously injured who will be really pleased others won't come to the same grief.”

Mr McPhee asked for any members of the community with photos of Rusty's to submit them, as one wall of the servo will feature a series of historical snaps.

Originally published as Rusty's service station one obstacle from completion