Old Bruce Highway Kybong petrol station ready for sale

Speculation is rife about the potential redevelopment of a once popular travellers’ pit stop south of Gympie with environmental remedial works now complete.

The former Puma service station at Kybong which was once home to the 13m tall Matilda kangaroo.

Speculation is rife over the future use of the former iconic Matilda petrol station south of Gympie with environmental remediation at the site now completed.

Kybong resident Josh Clark posed the question on Facebook what the recognisable travellers stopover at the Old Bruce Hwy and 11.5ha site could become.

“What are we going to do with this eye sore!” he wrote.

“This could be such an amazing place! Where people could come do yoga, we could put in a dog park, cafe.”

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Kybong resident and member of Legalise Cannabis Party, Josh Clark stirred debate when he posted on Facebook about the plans for the future of the old Matilda Kybong site.

Some suggested turning it into a water park, community housing for the homeless, a brewery or even a burn out pad.

The land was bought by Puma Energy (Australia) Fuels in May 2020, as one of 12 Australian properties in a $10.85m deal.

A spokesperson from Chevron said the company hoped to conclude a sale by the end of the year.

“We have had good initial interest in the Kybong site from a wide range of parties, including medium size businesses, community organisations, and industry,” the spokesperson said.

Matilda would draw all kind of celebrities at the Kybong location. Teen swimming sensation Tracey Wickham was pictured with her gold medal for 400m freestyle in front of Matilda at Kybong in 2014.

The Kybong Matilda service station was an iconic pit stop for travellers making their way up and down the Queensland coast, largely because it was home to the 13m tall mechanical kangaroo, Matilda.

The kangaroo was the mascot who winked at the crowd during her lap of honour at the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games.

Matilda was relocated to the Traveston “mega” Puma service station when it opened in 2020 following the re-routing of the Bruce Hwy and the demolition of the Kybong station.

At the time a Chevron spokesperson said the southeast Queensland icon would attract some “100,000 monthly customers to Puma Kybong”.

Demolished Matilda service station at Kybong, 2020.

Chevron would not share the expected sale price as it was reviewing offers.

CoreLogic Property, a property valuation website, estimates the base land value as $400,000, without including any existing structures or facilities.

Originally published as Old Bruce Highway Kybong petrol station ready for sale