I have started to put together some info on the Petroleum industry in Australia since the 1800s'. I must acknowledge Roadside Relics as a reference for much of the information so far. Also find pics of some of the related signs, bottles and other collectibles that have been on the market recently.
Select from links below.
1854 : AUSTRALIAN KEROSINE AND OIL COMPANY began retorting shale at HARTLEY VALE , NEW SOUTH WALES , producing kerosine and making candles.
19 May 1867 : HAROLD CROFTON SLEIGH (pronounced SLEE), merchant and ship-owner was born in ENGLAND.
November 1895 : HAROLD C. SLEIGH and JOHN McILWRAITH formed a partnership , opening an office in FLINDERS STREET , MELBOURNE.
1900 : R.W. CAMERON AND CO. began operating as AUSTRALIAN agent for THE TEXAS COMPANY.
1901 : COLONIAL OIL COMPANY - an offshoot of STANDARD OIL - set up business as the first motor spirit (petrol)(gasoline) importing firm in AUSTRALIA.
1902 : JOHN FELL AND COMPANY was established in SYDNEY and began the production of lubricants made from N.S.W. shale oil.
1905 : The SHELL TRANSPORT AND TRADING COMPANY and the ROYAL DUTCH PETROLEUM COMPANY established BRITISH IMPERIAL OIL COMPANY LIMITED in AUSTRALIA as a joint venture.
1908 : The VACUUM OIL COMPANY took over the AUSTRALIAN operations of the COLONIAL OIL COMPANY.
1909 : NEPTUNE OIL COMPANY was set up to handle the oil business developed by the KITCHEN family.
1913 : H.C. SLEIGH took over the first consignment of CALIFORNIAN motor spirit imported into AUSTRALIA and marketed it as GOLDEN FLEECE.
1913 : C.C.WAKEFIELD & CO. LTD. branded CASTROL lubricants first marketed in AUSTRALIA.
1914 : The KITCHEN interests , including the NEPTUNE OIL COMPANY , were sold to the LEVER GROUP.
1918 : THE TEXAS COMPANY AUSTRALASIA LIMITED was incorporated in NEW SOUTH WALES.
1920 : C.O.R. ( COMMONWEALTH OIL REFINERIES ) was formed by the AUSTRALIAN federal government and the ANGLO - PERSIAN OIL COMPANY as equal patrners.
1924 : ATLANTIC REFINING COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA appointed HARRISONS RAMSAY PTY.LTD. as AUSTRALIAN agent to market its ATLANTIC brand products.
1924 : C.O.R.'s refinery at LAVERTON , VICTORIA came on stream.
1924 : NEPTUNE OIL instaled the first company-owned pump at a multi-brand service station in HUNTER STREET , SYDNEY.
1925 : UNION OIL OF CALIFORNIA appointed F.W.WILLIAMS AND COMPANY PTY.LTD. as AUSTRALIAN agent to market UNION motor spirit using the VENUS brand.
1926 : The LEVER GROUP sold the NEPTUNE OIL COMPANY to the ROYAL DUTCH / SHELL GROUP.
By the end of 1927 : to bring the AUSTRALIAN company name into line with its "SHELL" brand name , the BRITISH IMPERIAL OIL COMPANY LTD. became THE SHELL COMPANY OF AUSTRALIA LTD.(INC.IN GREAT BRITAIN).
1928 : The VACUUM OIL COMPANY was the first oil company in AUSTRALIA to appoint an aviation manager.
1932 : PACIFIC OIL COMPANY LTD. was formed in MELBOURNE.
24 April 1933 : HAROLD CROFTON SLEIGH died and was buried in BOX HILL (MELBOURNE) cemetery. His son HAMILTON MORTON HOWARD SLEIGH took control of the H C SLEIGH partnership.
1933 : ALBA PETROLEUM COMPANY OF AUSTRALIA PTY.LTD. was established by P.J. ADAMS and A.G.WALES.
1933 : STANDARD OIL OF NEW JERSEY bought the ATLANTIC UNION company and continued to use the ATLANTIC brand name until the early 1960 's.
1935 : PACIFIC OIL COMPANY LTD. was merged into the ALBA PETROLEUM COMPANY.
23 March 1936 : AUSTRALIAN MOTORISTS PETROL CO.LTD. was incorporated in NEW SOUTH WALES by WILLIAM.G. WALKLEY
1936 : The TEXAS COMPANY (AUSTRALASIA) LIMITED became part of the CALTEX GROUP.
1939 : The VACUUM OIL COMPANY introduced the FLYING RED HORSE (PEGASUS) to AUSTRALIA.
February 1940 : The AUSTRALIAN federal government introduced petrol rationing as an emergency wartime measure.
1941 : The name CALTEX was first used in AUSTRALIA.
1942 : POOL PETROLEUM PTY. LTD. was formed by importing companies to handle wartime distribution of petroleum products within AUSTRALIA.
1945 : ALBA PETROLEUM COMPANY OF AUSTRALIA was incorporated into AUSTRALIAN MOTORISTS PETROL COMPANY.
1947 : H.C.SLEIGH became a public company - H.C. SLEIGH LIMITED.
1949 : Petrol rationing was declared invalid by the AUSTRALIAN High Court.
1949 : AUSTRALIAN MOTORISTS PETROL COMPANY name was changed to AMPOL PETROLEUM LIMITED.
1950 : Petrol rationing was lifted by the the newly elected AUSTRALIAN federal government.
1952 : The ANGLO - IRANIAN OIL COMPANY (formerly the ANGLO - PERSIAN OIL COMPANY) bought out the AUSTRALIAN government's half share of C.O.R. ( COMMONWEALTH OIL REFINERIES ).
1954 : SANTOS incorporated in SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
1957 : COMMONWEALTH OIL REFINERIES LIMITED name changed to BP AUSTRALIA LIMITED.
1959 : KANGAROO PETROLEUM COMPANY PTY.LTD. was formed and began marketing petrol in VICTORIA.
Early 1960 's : STANDARD OIL OF INDIANA commenced marketing from AMOCO sevice stations in the eastern mainland states and SOUTH AUSTR
Early 1960 's : STANDARD OIL OF NEW JERSEY replaced the ATLANTIC sign with the ESSO oval in their AUSTRALIAN service stations.
By April 1961 : PHILLIPS PETROLEUM commenced operations in northern NEW SOUTH WALES and QUEEENSLAND using the PHILLIPS 66 brand name.
1962 : KANGAROO PETROLEUM was aquired by H.C. SLEIGH LIMITED.
1965 : AMOCO opened a refinery at BULWER ISLAND , BRISBANE.
1966 : XL PETROLEUM PTY. LTD. began marketing in GEELONG , VICTORIA.
By February 1967 : PHILLIPS PETROLEUM withdrew from marketing in AUSTRALIA. Petrol marketing was taken over by H.C.SLEIGH - the marketer of GOLDEN FLEECE petrol.
In mid 1969 : INDEPENDENT OIL CO. PTY. LTD. (IOC) began operations in VICTORIA
1974 : IOC was wound up.
1976 : GULL PETROLEUM founded in WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
1981 : CALTEX bought the GOLDEN FLEECE petrol marketing network from H.C.SLEIGH.
1982 : AMPOL PETROLEUM LIMITED bought the marketing and refining assets of TOTAL AUSTRALIA LIMITED.
1982 : MATILDA FUEL SUPPLIES established by PETER O'KEEFFE in QUEENSLAND.
1984 : BP bought the downstream assets of AMOCO in AUSTRALIA - including the BULWER ISLAND oil refinery.
1990 : AMPOL LIMITED acquired SOLO OIL LIMITED , the largest independent retailer and distributor in AUSTRALIA.
1990 : MOBIL aquired the downstream assets of ESSO in AUSTRALIA.
May 1995 : CALTEX AUSTRALIA LIMITED and AMPOL LIMITED merged their petroleum refining and marketing assets.
May 1995 : LIBERTY OIL established. Fully owned by partners , DAVID GOLDBERGER and DAVID WIELAND.
In late 1999 : SOUTH AUSTRALIAN FARMERS FUEL SAFF agreed to supply fuel to the members of the S A FARMERS FEDERATION . At May 2001 SAFF had 25 stations.
