Ian Doust reopened the local service station in February and said visitors and locals were pleased to have fuel available in the town.

Mr Doust was born in Cooma, previously worked as a chef in Dalgety and has left the family farm for his new venture. He bought the vintage automobiles and other stock with the garage and said he was enjoying repairing engines and selling old wares.

“The main difference now is that before everything was display. Now it’s all for sale,” Mr Doust said. “We’ve got plenty of ‘fonlies’, things you saw in a shop 20 years ago and always thought ‘if only I’d bought it’,” Mr Doust said.

Neighbour and café operator Ross Pearson said it was fantastic to have petrol for sale again in Dalgety. He said it was convenient for locals and would boost tourism. “Anything which makes people stop in Dalgety is a very good thing,” Mr Pearson said.

“People who travel through regularly will get back in the habit of stopping in Dalgety,” he said.