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Club to invest $2m improving Dareton’s motoring services

Posted on September 9, 2011

By GRANT MAYNARD

IT was formerly the site of Dareton’s Hotel… and after the pub was demolished about 2003, it became a large, open grassed area used as extra car park for the Coomealla Memorial Sporting Club – especially when there was a big sporting or social event on.

Coomealla Club president Marg Sprague, left, examines plans for the new service station with the Club’s financial manager Tanya Hickmott and King Construction Group managing director, Dale King.

It has also been used as the venue for a number of community events, including the odd car boot sale and a market. Not unlike a town common of old.

But now, Dareton’s former pub site will be transformed into a state-of-the-art motoring rest stop including fuel sales, a garage, car wash, recreational vehicle discharge facility and car parking area.

The $2million project has been commissioned by the Coomealla Memorial Sporting Club, with the design and construction work being undertaken by the Mildura-based King Construction Group.

The project has been described as “an exciting new development for the Coomealla area” by its proponents.

“We hope that both locals and tourists recognise this as indicative of the Club’s commitment to ensure the town is not left without essential services like a fuel supply,” Club general manager, Craig Muir, said.

The development site fronts the Silver City Highway, and there is also provision for access from Tiltao Street.

Coomealla is currently serviced by one modest fuel station, run by Coomealla Fuel Station Pty. Ltd., a subsidiary company of the Club.

The fuel station is one of two in Dareton that operated on diagonally opposite corners for decades before the former Golden Fleece Station – once operated (some of our readers will recall by Jock Stephens and later by Don Boston) was closed. It is now a second hand furniture restoration and sales facility.

At different times the remaining station had been operated by the Jeans, Morrison, Martin and Symes families, and more recently still by the Fishers IGA supermarket group.

It was taken over by Coomealla Fuel Station Pty. Ltd., under a lease arrangement in April 2010, after Fishers announced its closure was imminent.

That was done, Club president and Coomealla Fuel Station chair, Marg Sprague, explained to ensure a fuel supply for the town.

A fuel supply, she says, that is essential for locals and the travelling public alike.

The catalyst for the new service station development, Marg said was the present site’s underground tank limitations.

“That unfortunately does not allow us to supply the variety of fuels we want to,” she said.

The new station will have pumps for unleaded, a higher octane version of the same, diesel and LPG.

“Also, vehicle access to the existing property is extremely restrictive. We are hoping that by providing better access – including room for large trucks – it will encourage more customers to use the facility to fuel up, thereby making it a more financially viable business.”

Marg said the plan for the site was a considerably expanded version of what had been proposed originally.

“The new, expanded version will now encompass the entire former hotel site,” Marg said.

Features added after the original plan was drawn up, and following consultation with the community, included the inclusion of a car wash – the only such facility on the NSW side of Sunraysia – and additional car parking to serve the Club during peak visitor periods.

The new development includes the provision for a small convenience store sometime in the future, and not unlike that offered at Buronga’s Midway BP.

However, in a community-conscious decision, the Club has been quick to add that this provision in the new station building would not be commissioned while Dareton’s Fishers IGA supermarket remained open.

The planned new service station will not step on the toes of other businesses in town ,including the general store and takeaway food outlet, Marg said.

“We are committed to preserving as many services in our town as possible,” she said.

“We do not want to go into competition with existing businesses.”

Mr Muir said that appointing a local contractor to design and construct the service station had been a deliberate decision by the Club board.

“By engaging a local company, we are ensuring work for local tradespeople.”

The project is expected to take about eight months to complete.

Meanwhile, Wentworth Shire Mayor, Cr Margaret Thomson, said she, and her fellow Councillors, could “see no negatives” with the new service station project.

“I think it will be great for the town… a real injection of good news.”

“That corner needs development, and I think the club has shown a lot of vision in getting this project off the ground.

“This kind of development is well outside the capacity of the Shire, and it is fortunate we have someone, like the club, willing to invest in the future of Dareton.”

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