A group of Port Kembla creatives have unveiled plans to turn a disused service station in the industrial suburb into a live music venue, theatre and food truck bar.
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Documents lodged with Wollongong City Council reveal a proposal to re-purpose the old Nasa Petroleum site – with its mushroom-shaped 1950s canopy – at the corner of Wentworth Street and Darcy Road into a vibrant entertainment facility.
"Hopefully in summer you might just pop in after the beach or for a celebration."
- Ann Martin
The project is the brainchild of 11 friends and acquaintances who have been involved in music, arts, food and markets for years.
Read more: Port Kembla beach a little bit of heaven
Among them is Port Kembla artist and former Wollongong councillor Ann Martin, who said she hoped to breathe new vibrancy into the changing town.
“At the moment in Port Kembla, there’s nowhere to get a meal in the evening,” she said. “So this way, even if you don’t want to have a beer or listen to music, you could pop down and grab something to eat.”
For the most part, according to the plans on exhibition, the venue will use the bones of the old servo – with minor modifications inside the building to accommodate the service of drinks and light refreshments
Acoustic treatments to manage noise and an upgrade of the amenities is also planned, but there will be no ground work breaking through the concrete which covers the contaminated site.
Ms Martin said the plan was to operate the bar four nights a week, with rotating types of food trucks, music and entertainment, as well as the possibility of attracting touring bands.
“This is something that is quirky, it’s not going to be fancy pants – we’re going to use recycled stuff, we’re keeping the mushroom and we’re hoping to be pet and children friendly in part of the venue,” Ms Martin said.
“For us it’s about celebrating the culture of Port Kembla, which is creative and a place where you can go and have an easy drink, we’re not going to charge like a wounded bull and you don’t have to be dressed up.”
“Hopefully in summer you might just pop in after the beach or for a celebration.”
With the development application lodged, the collective has now started the process of applying for a liquor licence.
“Considering we’ve lost two venues in Port – with the loss of the Steelworks Hotel and the RSL – I will be deeply shocked if they don’t approve our application,” she said.
“We will talk to people, but I know there’s already a lot of people in Port Kembla saying ‘Come on Ann, when are you opening’.”
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
