By Alex Bartley
The humble service station is a crucial part of any trip, big or small.
In many cases, servos can provide comforts for their customers, such as refreshments and a good road-trip snack. It also allows for a rest break, and its most important function is refuelling, which is what makes it such a staple in the first place.
I never really thought about your average service station until I went to England as a teenager.
They have facilities called “Motor Services”, which are large-scale service stations with amenities including McDonald’s, fuel, bathrooms, a butcher, and even a pub. These are truly impressive and incredibly convenient.
The service station that inspired this train of thought is the Wyong Twin service station, which operates northbound and southbound on the M1 Pacific Motorway.
It’s estimated that, due to its location, 90,000 drivers pass by every day, and it reportedly became one of the highest-grossing fast-food sites annually in Australia when the McDonald’s drive-thrus were located there.
I didn’t know these existed until life brought me to the Central Coast and Newcastle region, and even further afield in the last couple of years. Currently it stands as one of my last stops, but it was also one of the first on previous journeys.
Beyond corporate margins and motorway statistics, all of this is to say that these places contribute to the memories.
I can think of the awe I felt stepping off the plane in England and finding myself somewhere with such variety and amenities. Structurally, it was unlike anything I’d experienced before in a service station, which is why it stuck with me.
I can also think of roadside breakfasts with my loved ones, and the last stops where you’re tired and in the home stretch.
Their purpose may be purely functional, but what the brain associates with the places along the journey, such as this, is anything but small.
I feel that there’s always some joy and magic to be found along the way to the destination. Whether it’s a servo that represents that, a fascinating sign, a motel that is timeless no matter how many years go by, or even a unique rock.
The memories you make along the way are up to you, and this is ultimately a feeling that culminates in my own experiences.
Featured image: The northbound side of the Wyong twin services. Photo: Alex Bartley
