Business & Rural
3 October, 2025
Esmores notch up 50 years of serving friends fuel
Whether they meet them on their worst day through their RACV assistance service or just a chat paying for their tank, they hear every single story.
ALAN and Heather Esmore say they feel every person who pumps fuel at the Apex Service Station in St Arnaud is a friend.
Whether they meet them on their worst day through their RACV assistance service or just a chat paying for their tank, they hear every single story.
And they’ve done so for 50 years now.
The family celebrated half a decade at the bowser and mechanics shop last week.
They purchased the business from Ern Wescott on September 24, 1975 and Alan says they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’ve been a mechanic for 67 years, starting his apprenticeship in 1958 and qualifying as an “A” Grade Mechanic in 1964,” he said.
“My father was a mechanic too and my love for that work started when he said if I learned to fix this motorbike he had, I could keep it.
“I still have that bike sitting out the back.”
Like father, like son, Mark has been a mechanic now for 40 years starting his apprenticeship in 1985, completing it to “A” grade level like Alan.
They’ve seen a lot of changes over the years, including a bit of a reno or two.
“In 1977, we started major renovations on the building, demolishing a good majority of it,” Alan said.
“The front wall was moved back, to create a second driveway, after losing the far one due to the roundabout construction. The back wall of the workshop was also pushed out further creating a bigger area to work.
“The whole rebuild took seven weeks, including some very late nights, and in some cases all nighters, to get the job done.”
While most would move to retirement, the family has its sights on a new build the building of our new premises on the site of John McVitty’s old workshop in McMahon Street.
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