Orroroo's only fuel station runs dry in another blow for mid north town
Orroroo locals say the loss of fuel in town has been terrible timing, but the town is made of a "resilient bunch" of people.
Reported before the long weekend, and with no end in sight, customers of the town's only fuel station cannot top up.
Orroroo is just over three hours north of Adelaide in the state's mid north.
The nearest fuel station is about 40 kilometres away at Peterborough.
A spokesperson from the South Australian Environment Protection Authority (EPA) said it had been "notified of a possible leak from a fuel storage tank at an Orroroo petrol station".
The EPA said it was "liaising with the licensee in relation to the situation".
"The tank will remain empty until an environmental consultant can undertake further assessment of the situation, and the findings of the assessment are provided to the EPA," the spokesperson said.
The owner of the fuel station declined to comment.
Kate Pearce from the not-for-profit gift shop 54/31 Collective said the town had a "terrible" last couple weeks with drought and dust storms so it would be bad timing to lose visitors in what was supposed to be peak tourist season.
"It's not ideal, and it's really disappointing for the owners of the fuel station. This is peak season for them, too," Ms Pearce said
"We've had a pretty crappy year drought-wise … so our town is really reliant on tourists coming in and stopping.
"The service station is a really positive, great thing that we have in our town [which is] the last … bigger centre before people are travelling up to the Flinders.
"We'd love them to be able to stop and look around our whole main street and utilise … all of our services, including fuel.
"Our town is rallying and we're a pretty resilient bunch."
Two Farmers Daughters cafe owner Joylene Tapscott said the distance to the next fuel stop would not suit some of the town's older residents, nor locals in an emergency.
"Some may have restricted licences, some may not have family to rely on. So it's definitely an issue," she said.
"I have an elderly mum who, at any point, could need more care than what she already has.
However, Ms Tapsott said she was trying to stay positive.
"It's quite scary to think where it could take us, but Orroroo is a pretty resilient little town and we like to think that maybe with all the publicity we will be favoured," she said.
"We've certainly had our fair share of curveballs thrown at us in the last couple of weeks — the dust storms, the livestock on the roads — you know, it's endless, and everyone can have a pessimistic view.
"Hopefully we can support each other and hold each other together and get through it in the shortest time possible."
Orroroo Hotel licensee Jennie Hamilton said the lack of fuel in town might take tourists away, but "only time will tell".
"Once it gets out amongst the tourists and the grey nomads … they might just keep going through instead of stopping," Ms Hamilton said.
"Some will stop because they just do, and they love the town. There's a lot of tourists now that are repeat tourists.
"It's early days yet and we're all adjusting.
"We're pretty resilient and we'll adapt."
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