End of an era for Archer St Service Station

Aug 6, 2020

Although it may be the end of an era for the old Archer St Service Station, it will always be part of Shepparton's history.

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Since early 2000, Shepparton's Hilary and David Vella have seen it all at their service station.

People have come and gone, grown up in front of their eyes and brought new things to the area.

Mrs Vella still remembers one regular customer telling her how he used to shoot kangaroos off the top story of what is now a nearby dentist's clinic.

“Another one of our regulars was Tracey O’Brien Maw who was murdered in Fiji about five years ago,” she said.

“Her kids used to come in and get lollies.

“Turned out she lived in the same house as Abina Madill who was murdered by the killer ‘Mr Stinky'.”

Over the years, the shop has changed with the times.

Mrs Vella, 60, said they used to sell gas bottles, fishing licences, bait and two-stroke fuel.

They even serviced Caltex Cards which attracted business types in suits and fancy cars — quite a contrast to the scraggly backpackers coming through these days, Mrs Vella said.

During its 20 years in Archer St, the service station became the backdrop for much of their lives.

Mr Vella, 66, would get up at 7 am to start fixing people's cars, working 11-hour days for up to six days a week utilising his skills as a panel beater and spray painter.

Mrs Vella said they also brought up three kids — Rebecca, Katrina and Genevieve, who all did stints working at the shop — while running the business.

As well as being a place to fill up on fuel, Mrs Vella said it was also a place people came for conversation.

“Sometimes I'm just an ear for people to talk to.

“There are a lot of lonely people living on their own who come in, and sometimes you think ‘oh, not this one, I'll be here for hours’ — but then they probably say the same about me,” she said with a laugh.

Mrs Vella said one of the highlights of running the service station was the mutual generosity and willingness to help between different mechanics and shops in the area.

She still remembers visits from Russel Brauman who owned a garage in Melbourne Rd.

“He used to pop in and we fixed his FJ Holden, and he’d give my husband tools,” she said.

“Barry Trewin was another great scrounger and he’d drop off stuff from cleaned out offices.

“If we had anything handy, we’d give to them back — everyone has a great relationship around here, we’d always lend tools or borrow tools.

“It's really not so competitive with the other mechanics, even with the dealerships.

“If you're nice to people, you get the same back.”

Sfetco Nominees Superannuation Fund now owns the site, a deal which will allow Mr Vella to comfortably retire and race his horse, Xena's Reward.

Although Mrs Vella said she felt sad the shop wouldn't carry on as a motor garage — a rare place people could still receive services such as having a rouge wiper replaced — she was looking forward to a change.

“As a motor repair shop, you'd always do stuff for your loyal customers for free, so hopefully whatever it becomes now can still have the same spirit.”