Not in my backyard - Hay Shire votes against unmanned fuel station

Jubilant South Hay residents who fought against the development of an unmanned fuel station on Moama Street (from left) Eddie and Sharon Hicks, Dave and Lilianna Aylett, Joyce Clark, Peter Handford, Julie Lawrence, Tony Domaille, Michael Whitehead and Ian Clark. Photo taken in front of the block of land on the corner of University Road where the development was expected to have taken place. Image: The Riverine Grazier/Tertia Butcher.

By Tertia Butcher

Hay Shire Councillors listened to their community when they voted against a recommendation from Council staff for the approval of a Development Application for an unmanned truck refuelling station on Moama Street. Hay Shire Council recommended the Development Application, with entrance via University Road, be approved with stringent conditions.

South Hay residents in the vicinity of the proposed development filled the gallery at Council’s Ordinary monthly meeting last week to vehemently oppose the application by IOR (diesel fuel supplier).

“I believe the authoritarian who has given IOR the green light to go ahead with the 24-hours fuelling station at 310 Moama Street is in breach of Council’s fundamental values: Vision, Mission Statement and Corporate vales,” South Hay resident, Julie Lawrence told Council.

“Vision: Where people are resilient, healthy and safe, living together with a strong sense of community in a vibrant and prosperous economy. “Country people are resilient, we have to be, that’s a given. Health and safety – every single objection submitted is concerned about safety and you are choosing to ignore this.

Breach number one. “We have a strong sense of community, but this proposal does nothing, I repeat nothing for the economics of Hay. “The email (from the developer) states that locals will only ‘assist’ in the build, then after that there’s nothing. It will be economically depriving by taking away from four ratepaying businesses and devaluing all the residential property in that area. Breach number two.

“The Mission Statement is to be a progressive rural council committed to 1. Caring for the welfare of our communities, which the proposal does not. It is clearly not in the welfare of our community. Breach number three.

2. Protecting and enhancing the environment. On page 147 (of the application) it admits, and I quote, that storm water and oily water management landscape buffer strip will be provided along the street frontage of University Road to aid with the removal of nutrients and suspended solids present in the storm water run-off. Breach number four.

3. Building a climate that encourages opportunities for all. That should be just for Hay Shire residents, not a big Queensland fuel company, or apparently now American. 4. Managing the Council’s resources in an open and accountable manner consistent with the principles of value for money and equity.

“This is a prime piece of agricultural land which should still be rated as agricultural and is being destroyed and changed forever, for what? Breach number five,” Ms Lawrence continued in her presentation to Council.

“Corporate values: It states Council will deliver integrity, openness, responsiveness and quality of service. Under the responsiveness heading it state that: We will consult with our community and be guided by their wishes. We will deliver on our promises. Yet another breach – number six.

“So Council, please be guided by our wishes. You are meant to service the people in the Hay Shire. Honour what you have been voted by the people to do.

“Do not breach the Council values. I agree with an IOR site, but elsewhere. Not in our little town. That will take away from four businesses.”

The site is across Hay Caravan Park, Bishop’s Lodge Historic House and Comfort Inn Bishop’s Lodge Motel and a number of residential properties. The 4.2ha site was previously used as farmland in connection with Ruberto’s Winery which has since closed down.

A Development Application similar to the more recent proposal was applied for in 2016 but withdrawn by the applicant as it was not a permissible use in the zone at the time. In December 2023, the applicant successfully applied for a planning proposal to amend the Hay Local Environmental Plan to allow a service station to be built on the block.

The mood in the gallery and among the majority of councillors was for an unmanned fuel station to be built well out of town, not in a residential part of South Hay.

Sharon Hicks, who lives directly across the road from the site, also spoke and said the Leeton and Hillston unmanned fuel stations were abominable and nothing more but dust concrete bowls. She also raised concerns about noise and floodlights on six-metre-high towers, strong enough to light up a stadium.

“Ampol and Shell will lose their traffic, because IOR offers discounted fuel to their customers.”

Tony Domaille also lives across the road from the site and said he was at a loss as to why an unmanned fuel station would be built opposite a caravan park.

“You’re going to have cattle trucks arriving in the middle of the night, all types of trucks,” he said. “Hay is a declining population.

“Over $24million will be going out of Hay (if the development went ahead). Just be careful we don’t end up with no fuel stations and on an unmanned diesel truck refuelling station. This business just doesn’t bring enough to town.

“Repairs are always done by outside contractors.

“Construction will take a month, that leaves a bit of lawn to mow.”

In response to IOR’s commitment to screen the site by planting mature trees, Cr Paul Porter quipped, “you can’t put lipstick on a pig. It’s still a pig”.

The Development Application was refused on recommendation from Cr Martyn Quinn, seconded by Cr John Perry.

Cr Tapper declared a pecuniary interest in the DA due to the location of his home, and left the room during discussion.