Latest news with #Shellharbour
ABC News
a day ago
- Automotive
- ABC News
Driveway service still exists at some independent petrol stations but is 'very unusual'
Historically, petrol stations across Australia provided personalised service, with attendants to look after you, wash your windscreen and check your car's water, oil and air. But by the 1990s bespoke customer service was on the decline. So, what happened? The turning point largely came about when fuel pumps went from mechanical to computerised, according to historian and author Colin Dennett. "The cause for the change slowly began as a combination of new pumps, fewer outlets and the era of high-volume company-operated sites developed," Mr Dennett said. Retail service stations in Australia have reduced from 22,000 sites in 1966 to approximately 8,000, generating roughly $38 billion annually. "The retail scene is basically dominated by multinationals but there's a few independents that break away from that, which is truly unique, and keeps the market competitive," Mr Dennett said. The NRMA's report Making Cents of Fuel says the presence of independent operators can influence market competition, being at least 7 to 10 cents cheaper per litre in some regional towns, with lower overhead costs. However, refiners and wholesalers still hold over 80 per cent of the market and Ampol is the biggest wholesaler. Today, driveway service it not offered by major petrol stations across Australia; however, it is possible to find small, independent operators who still provide it. On a 12-kilometre stretch between Shellharbour and Warrawong on the New South Wales south coast there are 12 petrol stations. Jimmy Pavlevski's independent station in Windang is one of them. When he purchased the business in 1998, the adjacent caravan park had a stream of people with vans and boats needing fuel. Mr Pavelvski said back then, people worked Monday to Friday and Sunday was family day. "They'd fill up, get some snacks and go for a family drive; that doesn't happen anymore," he said. "Sunday used to be the busiest day, now it's the slowest. "All people do now is sit on their phones." So, for the past few years his station has been running on the smell of an oily rag and even personalised service is dwindling due to lack of interest. And Mr Pavleski can no longer afford staff. "I can't provide that service full-time, only when customers require help," he said. As well as competing with other fuel stations, Mr Pavlevski is juggling the loss of tobacco sales, increasing fuel costs, EVs, large fridges to power and monthly card fees; he says it's a common story for independent service stations. "I'm never going to be competing with major service stations, I'm quite happy with what I have, what I've built up and the community I provide for," Mr Pavlevski said. In his book An Illustrated History of Ampol (2022), Colin Dennett weaves together the history of the company and other fuel suppliers across Australia from the 1930s. "Generally they didn't buy expensive sites and located wherever they could. "Driveway service was a way of competing because these stations were tucked away often in both back and side streets. "Today, multinationals dominate the highways and freeways and the suburban stations, which were once everywhere, have essentially disappeared. "So I would think there were very few independents left offering driveway service." At a century-old independent service station in Thirroul, NSW, window washing, below-the-bonnet work and air checks were once freely applied by attendants. For now, fuel top-ups are provided and other services exist on request. Owner-operator Graeme Rutledge works six days a week and started serving fuel at 21 when his father bought the business in 1946. To make ends meet, Mr Rutledge offers motor mechanic repairs for vintage cars. "Generally, we work on late-model cars early in the day and the others later in the day," he said. Driveway attendant Avery Vail says they enjoy serving customers and being the friendly face at the front of the petrol station. "We do driveway service, it's very pleasant to go out, serve customers and have a little chat," they said. Mr Dennett said providing driveway service was very unusual and should be encouraged. "Driveway service costs to have an attendant checking tyres et cetera, but I think it's pretty attractive, particularly for older motorists," he said.
ABC News
18-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Pet owners turn to veterinary telemedicine services for non-emergencies
When Meggy the Lhasa Apso puppy seemed unwell her owners were filled with dread. New pet owners Elise Sinclair and Katana Murphy did not know if it was an emergency and did not want to waste a vet's time. "We didn't know what was wrong with her," Ms Sinclair said. Being more than an hour away from the nearest overnight animal hospital did not make it any easier. So the Shellharbour couple turned to veterinary telemedicine, where they were able to talk with a registered vet remotely. "It's just like breathing a sigh of relief, [having] access to a resource who knows what they're talking about and can help you with your decision-making," Ms Sinclair said. The couple was eventually able to make an in-person visit with a vet, where Meggy was successfully treated for a parasitic infection. The calls can also be cheaper, with an average cost between $50 and $120 compared to after-hours call-outs, which can cost up to $500. Veterinarian Nina Coulthard helped the NSW couple treat Meggy from Adelaide. While telephone or web vets cannot provide prescription medication, Dr Coulthard is able to offer first aid advice and monitor non-emergency situations. After years working in clinics, Dr Coulthard said she had more time for online callers. "The pace is a bit more laid back than it can be in a clinic, which is wonderful because we have the time to talk to people for as long as they need," she said. The company she worked for, Greencross, said the service had grown steadily since the COVID pandemic. "It's a game changer. I can't see it going away in a hurry," Dr Coulthard said. The service can also make life easier for vets, who work in an industry known for overwork and impacts on mental health. In rural and remote areas, vets are often booked out weeks in advance. Katelyn Thompson, the only after-hours veterinarian at her outback clinic in Mount Isa, said her workload was huge. "It takes you away from your family," Dr Thompson said. The mother of a one-year-old baby, with another on the way, said she started using a telehealth triage system run by VetCheck 24/7 last March which eased the burden of after-hours calls. Phone calls are directed to a triage nurse, employed through a third-party subscription service, rather than going directly to her phone. "It's filtering calls that you need to see [so] you know that if they're calling you it's for something important," Dr Thompson said. She said it had resulted in a 70 per cent drop in after-hours phone calls, which used to range from five to 20 a week. Dr Thompson said people who called after-hours services often needed reassurance and general first aid advice. In some instances, she said people called looking to buy pet food. "The biggest selling point for us is trying to ease the burden on vets," Dr Thompson said. She said the mental health benefits were worth the cost the business paid for a subscription, allowing vets to come into the surgery better rested each morning. Dr Thompson hoped innovations like this would help attract more vets to the outback. "Especially for rural and remote areas when trying to entice them to come out because they know they're not going to be on call-out after call-out," she said.
Daily Telegraph
17-06-2025
- General
- Daily Telegraph
Humpbacks swim into tiny Shellharbour bay
Don't miss out on the headlines from Animals. Followed categories will be added to My News. Eight humpback whales on a heat hunt in a small bay along the NSW coastline have been captured in rare footage by a marine mammal rescue volunteer. Ty Peters spends four days a week during June monitoring whales off the Illawarra coast for Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA), an Australian not-for-profit dedicated to saving marine mammals. He headed down to Bass Point Reserve in Shellharbour, south of Sydney, about 10am on Monday and witnessed seven males chasing a juvenile female into Bush Rangers Bay. Mr Peters said when female humpbacks are on heat the males chase them and while that is relatively common, what was not common was the bay they swam into. ORRCA volunteer Ty Peters captured rare footage of humpback whales on a heat hunt in Bush Ranger Bay near Shellharbour, about 115kms south of Sydney. Picture: Ty Peters 'We occasionally get one solitary whale going in there and investigating but to my knowledge that's the first time we've ever had a heat run go into the bay,' he said. 'Getting eight whales in that confined bay is pretty wild.' Mr Peters said what the drones did not capture was the incredible noise that came from the whales as they hunted down the female. 'The whales have got a really deep sound and it vibrates through your chest,' he said. 'They exert a lot of energy, which makes them get out of breath quite quick so their sound is deep. 'Then you've got the slapping of the tails and the pectoral fins, imagine dropping your front door just flat onto ground, you get that sound almost like a cannon launch.' ORRCA volunteer Ty Peters said it was rare to see eight humpbacks in Bush Rangers Bay, which is about 75m across at its widest and 200m long. Picture: Ty Peters Mr Peters said about 40,000 humpback whales swim past Australia's east coast each year, along with southern right whales, minkes, false killers and others. He said they sighted about 150 whales a day if the conditions were right for the huge mammals to migrate north to Queensland. 'If the currents are pushing north then they don't have to do a lot of work, which means they don't exert a lot of energy and don't have to breathe as heavy, they just cruise,' he said. 'If the ocean is flat then you don't get water splashing into the blowhole so they're very hard to spot then, whereas, if they're having to exert themselves a little bit more than they're taking deeper breaths. 'If it's a little bit choppy, then they're doing bigger blows to clear the air.' About 40,000 humpback whales swim past Australia's east coast each year, along with southern rights, minkes, false killers and others. Picture: Ty Peters Mr Peters said one of the best vantage points to see the whales was along the Illawarra coastline and people could help ORRCA monitor the mammals swim past on their 2025 Whales Census Day on June 29 by registering at 'Whales are a protected species so there is 100m exclusion zone around whales for all watercraft and drones,' he said. 'We have quite a lot of problems with people coming in and flying 10ft above them. Originally published as ORRCA volunteer captures rare footage of six humpbacks on a heat hunt in a tiny bay along Shellharbour's coastline
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Yahoo
Visitors spot incredible sight in tiny Aussie bay: 'Very special'
It's a tiny bay off the coast of Shellharbour, popular with swimmers and snorkellers for its protected, clear waters. But on Monday, visitors at Bushrangers Bay, south of Sydney, were treated to the arrival of some special guests — a pod of humpback whales who could even be heard singing from the shore to the delight of onlookers. Alex Ross, a former local, was back in town visiting his children and grandchildren when he and his wife, Jenny, decided to stop by Bass Point to see if they could see any whales. 'We probably saw 10 or 15 pods down there this morning, but quite a few of them were off shore and then this pod came around just as we got there and went right into Bushrangers Bay,' he told Yahoo News. The couple watched on in awe as the pod of at least three whales swam close to shore, in and out of the bay twice. 'Bushrangers Bay is a tiny, little marine reserve. It's about the size of maybe three Olympic swimming pools,' Alex said. 'It's quite narrow… but it's deep in there. 'They just came in and hardly had enough room to turn around in there really. So that's why I was quite surprised they went in there twice!' Incredibly, there were several people swimming in the bay when the whales arrived, with one man saying he could hear them singing. 'It was the most amazing thing to hear their sounds underwater,' he wrote to Alex on Facebook. The animals were so close to shore even those on land could hear the faint songs. The rare sighting combined with their grandson's birthday on the same day made it a 'very special' experience for Alex and Jenny before they head home to New Zealand next month. Whale season kicked off just a few weeks ago, with the peak time for whale spotting usually around the end of June and throughout July. As part of their annual migration from Antarctica to the South Pacific to breed, the whales travel right along the Australian coastline — though you'd have to be lucky to see them this close. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
ABC News
24-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
Dapto Dogs to stop running after nearly 90 years as showground owners end lease
It is the end of an era for the iconic Dapto Dogs as the local show society prepares to wrap up racing at the venue by the end of June next year. Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) chief executive officer Steve Griffin said it was an unfortunate decision. "Very sad for the industry and for us. We are a little bit shocked and surprised. We had hoped that we were going to get a 20-year extension but the society has decided to go in another direction." GRNSW had been in negotiations Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society for some time over rent and facility upgrades, including relocating the kennel block to the western part of the precinct. Mr Griffin had visited the site just last week to inspect the proposed areas. The news was shared with GRNSW on Friday night. Racing started at the track on February 25, 1937. Mr Griffin said people will be "grieving for the loss of the icon from the sport". "Obviously there will be some people who will be hurting because this has been their home track for their lifetime and probably their forbearers before them. Close to 100 trainers trial their dogs at the track each week. Two full time and four part time staff will be offered opportunities at the Bulli and Nowra tracks. GRNSW has a parcel of land at nearby Bong Bong Road and will continue to explore opportunities — but it would involve significant work to determine if it would be suitable for a straight track. Shellharbour state MP Anna Watson said the decision was sad but she is glad it was not acrimonious. "It is a big parcel of land. It is community. It presents a great opportunity to see what comes from the Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society in the future," she said. Ms Watson said she looked forward to seeing how GRNSW progressed the Bong Bong Road site. The Dapto Agricultural and Horticultural Society has been contacted for comment.
