The multi-million dollar Puma service station is now in operation.
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One of the largest Puma sites in Australia, the servo will serve as a pit stop for the thousands of truckies who travel through Katherine.
The central location has residents flocking to test it out.
The new servo also opened with the cheapest fuel in town with unleaded retailing for 164.7 and diesel at 168.7.
Matthew Chapman, a concreter for Territory Industries, was one of the first to use the new petrol station.
Filling up to go out bush for work, he said he was heading to his usual station on the other side of town when he noticed Puma was finally open.
“This is very easy to get to because of its central location,” Mr Chapman said.
“When I saw it was open after all these months I got a bit excited to try it out.”
The 24-hour service station houses a trucker’s lounge area with seating, laundry and showers.
According to planning documents, “the addition of a rest stop with dining area and shower facilities along the Stuart Highway in Katherine will contribute positively to road safety in the Northern Territory and will help drivers manage fatigue.”
“Puma Katherine is one of the largest sites in our national network, which now spans more than 400 locations across Australia,” Puma Energy Australia general manager, Jim Raszyk said.
Our staff are looking forward to welcoming the community to our newest site.
- Puma Energy Australia General Manager, Jim Raszyk
“This site will provide much needed fuel and convenience services to the Katherine community as well as tourists, truck drivers and locals travelling throughout the region.
“The station will bring 20 local jobs to the region and includes high flow diesel, dedicated truck refuelling bays, a truckers lounge complete with showers and laundry, and a 7th Street café.
“We are proud to bring real benefits to the Katherine community, and provide a competitive choice for customers.”
According to Mr Raszyk the new servo is the first site in the Northern Territory to be fitted with state-of-the-art ‘Scan Cam’ technology, which will lock bowsers from prior drive-off offenders.
“Any vehicle that has been involved in a drive-off will be required to prepay; this technology will set a new standard for safety,” he said.
WA-based Mitie Construction won the contract to build the big new station and has been working quickly since the beginning of the year to get the site ready.
The Puma Energy service station is on the corner of the Stuart Highway and Bicentennial Road, near Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre and includes a cafe with seating for 28 people.
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