The well-loved Thirroul Service Station has received national recognition after being featured in a finalist entry for a major photography competition.
Local photographer and filmmaker Chris Duczynski is among the finalists in the City of Sydney’s Australian Life photography exhibition. His shortlisted entry, Thirroul Servo Crew, portrays the tight-knit team at the Thirroul Service Station, a family-run business with deep roots in the community.
The image features the long-standing owner Graeme Rutledge, alongside forecourt attendant Avery Vail and apprentice mechanics Caitlin Cornford and Mitchell Kentner. The scene stands as a visual representation of modern Australian diversity set against a backdrop of tradition and resilience.
Graeme has been a fixture of the service station for more than five decades. The business itself has been in the family since 1946, making it one of the region’s enduring landmarks. The station has managed to resist the wave of corporatisation that has transformed much of the fuel retail industry, remaining one of the last independent petrol stations in the area.
Thirroul Service Station offers an experience that is nearly vanished elsewhere. Customers are greeted by a forecourt attendant who not only fills up the tank but can also check tyres and clean windscreens. The station serves as a kind of community meeting point where people chat, reconnect and feel looked after, something increasingly rare in the fast-paced digital era.
Chris, who also runs the local production company Malibu Media, was inspired to capture the image after a recent visit. He was struck by the intergenerational team dynamic and the atmosphere of the business, which manages to feel both timeless and forward looking. The resulting photo reflects a blend of youth, experience and continuity, all set in front of a nostalgic roadside icon.
The same shoot produced another image of Avery Vail inside the garage surrounded by hoisted vehicles and tools. That photograph has also earned a finalist spot in the Olive Cotton Award hosted at the Tweed Regional Gallery. Both images explore themes of identity, craftsmanship and cultural preservation.
Chris has long had a passion for photographing independent service stations, describing them as endangered remnants of a different era. His past work has taken him to various towns across Australia, capturing the spirit of small locally owned servos before they disappear. He recalls others that have now shut down, including one in Tamworth that combined fuel service with a second-hand shop.
Thirroul itself has changed significantly over the years. Once a quiet coastal town, it now features modern cafés, boutiques and rising property values. Yet the service station has remained largely untouched, acting as a bridge between the past and the present. Stepping into it feels like entering a time capsule with vintage oil cans, framed photos and yellowing newspaper clippings lining the walls.
For Chris, these elements make the station more than just a business. It is a living part of the community’s cultural fabric. Through his lens, he aims to tell stories that reflect Australia’s evolving identity while honouring the places and people who anchor us to our roots.
The winners of the City of Sydney Australian Life photography competition will be announced on Thursday 31 July. The exhibition will run from 31 July to 24 August at Customs House, showcasing the work of 28 finalists who explore life across contemporary Australia.
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