A car service with style
THE southeast corner of Little Malop and Gheringhap streets is familiar to most with its Focus Five building marking the entrance to that section of Little Malop St.
The corner has had other users, including being home to Beaurepaire Tyre Service Ltd’s Motor Service Station from 1930.
The aerial view of part of central Geelong in about 1940 shows the Beaurepaire service centre on the left opposite the law courts complex and diagonally opposite City Hall.
On the northeast corner of Gheringhap and Little Malop streets we can see the rear of Chas Cole and Co’s liquor outlet, which was knocked down in 1968 and replaced by the Civic Car Park.
Over the road at City Hall the elaborate skylight on the roof can be seen. The skylight was demolished in the 1960s when the original City Hall was gutted to make way for more office space.
At the time the Carlton Hotel in Malop St was a relatively new addition, and the rear of the Carlton can be glimpsed in the bottom left of the main photo.
The Beaurepaire building was seen as a service station that was a cut above the norm, having been designed by wellknown Geelong architects Buchan and Laird.
Part of a new chain of tyre distribution outlets being opened by the Beaurepaire chain throughout the state, it was said to be the most elaborate yet seen in Victoria.
On October 31, 1930, the Geelong Advertiser’s motoring correspondent explained in glowing terms the firm that was established by former Olympic swimmer Frank Beaurepaire and the workings of his new service centre to the general public.
“By recently establishing, at a cost of many thousands of pounds, in Gheringhap St (almost opposite the City Hall) one of the most elaborate service stations in provincial Victoria, and, incidentally the fifth link in a chain of stations, Beaurepaire has already proved that his optimism and faith in Geelong has been amply justified,’’ the motoring correspondent wrote.
“A most modern plant is in operation including, as it does, a wholly undercover ‘drive-in’ petrol filling station where all popular brands of petrol are available.
“Motorists are extended a cordial welcome to inspect the establishment at any time and become conversant first hand with this important addition to Geelong’s successful commercial enterprise.’’
The Beaurepaire service centre had replaced an earlier Indian motorcycle outlet run by H. Matthey and the adjacent Hoadley’s Chocolates outlet.
The photo of those two businesses on this page also shows members of the Geelong Indian Motor Cycle Club lined up along Gheringhap St for a Sunday run to Sheoak Falls on August 8, 1926. Contact: peterjohnbegg@gmail.com