Staff at the Caltex Tauriko petrol station are bidding farewell as the business closes following more than half a century of faithful and fuel-ful service to the community.

Marking the end of an era enjoyed by locals and travellers alike, there has been a bittersweet atmosphere as loyal patrons called in one final time this last week to express gratitude to owner Alex Lee and his staff, who have become synonymous with friendly faces and reliable service.

The station’s closure is not merely a business transition; it symbolises the inevitable march of progress, as NZTA Waka Kotahi requisitions the land to pave the way for the new access into the new Tauriko West community as part of the SH29 Tauriko Enabling Works, altering the landscape and the memories it holds.

“A lot of my regulars are sad,” says Alex. “They gave us presents, money, and told us stories.

“One lady who came in was saying she has been coming to us for more than 60 years.”

The Caltex Tauriko station closes after decades, to make way for a new highway. Photo: Bob Tulloch.

Alex bought the business only four to five years ago, just before the Covid-19 global pandemic struck. It’s his first business venture since arriving in New Zealand.

“I didn’t know back then that it was going to be closing. The government got in contact with me about two years ago.”

Under the Public Works Act, the government can requisition land to be used for public works such as highways. Alex owned the business, which the government paid him for, but not the land that the station has stood on. The government has also bought the land from the owner.

Resigned to the inevitable, he says “I have no choice. I have no say”.

Caltex Tauriko has been part of a cluster of buildings located near each other on State Highway 29, with Tauriko Primary School, Tauriko Playcentre, and Tauriko Settlers Hall providing a focal point for the surrounding community.

Men at Tauriko Mill before 1920. Credit: Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 06-053.

The name Tauriko was inspired by a once-thriving local sawmilling industry. The business name ‘Tauranga Rimu Timber Company’ seemed a bit long-winded, so sawmill operators, the Gamman brothers who opened mills in the Bay of Plenty in 1908, shortened the name to Tau-Ri-Co.  Their father Samuel John Gamman had arrived in the country on board the Cameo in 1859.

The letter ‘C’ is not a consonant in the Māori language so it was replaced with the letter ‘K’ resulting in the word 'Tauriko' being formed.

Kaimai road 1963. Credit: Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 04-377.

Alex doesn’t know how many previous owners Caltex Tauriko has had. It’s also unknown how long the station has stood there; some say up to 80 years, with most saying at least 60 years.

Tauranga City Council's Heritage and Research Team information access specialist Leslie Goodliffe looked up 'Papers Past' and found an advertisement in the Bay of Plenty Times, dated March 23, 1946.

"It isn't clear from the short, formal notice if this is the first 'motor spirit' pump in Tauriko," says Leslie.

"I assume a timber mill would need to fuel vehicles and stationary engines."

Screenshot of 'Papers Past', Bay of Plenty Times March 23, 1946, Page 1. Image: Tauranga City Council/Supplied.

Leslie also found a photograph of an unidentified timber mill on the council's Pae Korokī website, which has a tiny sign advertising Big Tree Motor Spirit on the far right of the picture, attached to the workshop.

It's not known if this is at the Tauriko location, but there is a possibility that it could be. It appears to date from around 1910.

Sawmill, 1900s, with inset image of small, oval sign for Big Tree Motor Spirit. Credit: Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 99-960.

It is recorded that Caltex Tauriko was previously known as the Tauriko Autostop in the 80s, and there's a mention of a petrol station located at Tauriko in the 1950s on the Tauranga Historical website:

“Buster Dean, father of Western Bay DC Councillor Mark Dean, was short of petrol on a trip from Hamilton to Tauranga in the late 1950's. He made the Kaimai Road summit, and then took the car out of gear and coasted the rest of the way into Tauranga. (I surmise he re-fuelled at Tauriko.),” writes a Tauranga Historical Society spokesperson.

Workers on Kaimai road between 1906-1915. Credit: Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 02-196.

The Kaimai Road, now known as State Highway 29, was started in the 1880s, linking up the Kaimai track to Cambridge, with the present Cambridge Road, a remnant of its original route.

Tauriko is now home to the new housing development area ‘The Lakes’ and the retail and industrial hub ‘Tauranga Crossing’.

While the history of the name ‘Tauriko’ is based on a major industry set up by a migrant family, the history of the land is one of historical significance to tangata whenua, with Ngai Tamarāwaho and Ngāti Hangarau having had a large presence in The Lakes area. 

Construction of new roading links in Tauriko will connect to the Takitimu Northern Link to Auckland and the western link to Hamilton.

Remnants of the Tauriko Rimu Timber Company sawmill tramway remain in the bush. Photo: Jamie Neill.

For those travelling to the Waikato on State Highway 29, the lower Kaimai-based station at Tauriko has been a ‘must-stop’ place to fuel up before heading to Hamilton, Taupō, Auckland, or further afield. The same applies for those coming down off the Kaimai range from the Waikato, doubling as a welcome refreshment and rest place, pausing a long journey often delayed by traffic congestion.

It’s not just been about fuel; the station has boasted hot pies, piping hot coffee, an in-house Subway, and a range of food, beverages and items often asked for by motorists.  

Alex estimates, from the metre readings on the eight pumps, that there have been roughly 75 million litres of fuel pumped into vehicles at the site over the last 20 years, with around three to five million litres per year.

The Caltex Tauriko station closes after decades, to make way for a new highway. Photo: Bob Tulloch.

Behind the counter serving customers has been a top team that Alex says he is very sad to bid farewell to.

“When I took it over I had a couple of employees and was lucky enough to work with them, and three of them worked with me from the beginning to the end.

“I’d like to say “thank you” to my staff.  The manager is Shivani Chand - she has been here for six years, Kirk Wakefield was here for 10 years, and Smithesh Chacko was here for eight years.”

He says their regular customers loved his staff.

“Our industry has a very high turnover of people. Shivani, Kirk and Smithesh were just too good and I was lucky to work with them.

“I’ve had many good faithful employees, too many names to name them all. These three employees were there when I started and were there until the last day.”

Alex doesn’t know yet what he will be doing next, after handing over the keys last Tuesday. He’s happy that two of his staff have new jobs to go to.

“Shivani will be working at New World, Kirk will be working at Caltex Greerton, and Smithesh and I are looking for the right opportunity together,” says Alex, who would like to take all three staff with him into his next new enterprise.

“If I have the right opportunity I’d like to do retail with them, but so far we are not lucky enough to find one yet. We are searching together, but the right thing hasn’t come up yet.”

He’s determined that he will stay in the retail industry.

“Because that’s what we can do, and it’s all about the people. People think retail is easy but it’s tough. And I had really good staff I would like to do retail with if possible. Fingers crossed.”

On the final day, the door stayed open until 3pm, with people bringing in presents and well wishes for the staff.

“A lot of our customers came in on the last day to say goodbye to us,” says Alex.

“It was really sad.”

Asked whether a new Caltex station will be opening in the area, a spokesperson for Z Energy Limited says while Caltex Tauriko is now permanently closed, Caltex continues to maintain a strong presence in Tauranga with four other Caltex branded service stations in the area.