Regional fuel distributor and transporter Lowes Petroleum has won the 2025 Australian Fuel and Convenience Community Spirit Award at the Asia Pacific Fuel Industry Forum.
Headquartered in Goondiwindi, the company started in 1977 with one truck and one driver, undertaking a joint venture with bp 10 years ago, while still retaining their country ethos.
Lowes Petroleum’s Sharon White says the award, one of four up for grabs, was highly sought after by the company as they defied the move by many organisations to pull resources out of country Australia, instead continuing to put them in.
“It’s not often the words petrol and philanthropy are used in the same sentence,” Ms White says.
“We know that corporate giving is essential to successful business but when you have more than 500 people working and living in regional Australia it has to be a reflex action.
“Our job is easy: we just listen to our people. they’re our barometers so we follow their lead in supporting worthy causes and organisations making a difference to rural lives.
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“To date our biennial charity golf day has raised money to support charities as diverse as providing a trailer to teach road safety education to country kids – to Ronald McDonald House.
“We support the Australian Road Safety Foundation’s Rural Road Month in efforts to change driver behaviours especially on country roads and our annual Professional Driver Awards ensures this ethos starts at home – our drivers setting exemplary records of safety.
“We provide free fuel for volunteer marine rescue operations to sponsoring ‘Farms Fests’, rural shows along with junior and senior sporting teams. Our Lowes community has also supported pretty much every major charity you can name – there’s too many to name.”
ACAPMA awards refer to the Australian Fuel and Convenience Awards (AFCAs), a program that formally recognises excellence in the Australian fuel and convenience sector, covering areas like compliance, innovation, and safety.
CEO Rowan Lee says nominations were reviewed by a panel of experts from outside the Australian Fuel Industry, ensuring a transparent and credible assessment.
“With more than 61,000 Australians employed throughout our industry, and estimated industry turnover of $101b in FY23, the ‘end stream’ of the Australian fuel industry plays a vital role in supporting the transport needs of Australian business, industry, and households,” Lee says.
“While complaining about fuel prices has become a bit of a national pastime, the Australian community knows that our industry is always there to provide the fuel they need, when and where they need it.
“And this contribution has been most evident during natural disasters over recent years, with our local businesses being lauded as the ‘last to close and first to open’ at times of greatest community need.”
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