This is Adelaide… remembering cheaper petrol
With the Middle East war showing no signs of fading anytime soon, petrol remains persistently expensive. Photographer Alex Franye captured a run-down Hills bowser that has us nostalgic for simpler times.
The price of unleaded petrol soared to $2.30 this week as conflict in the Middle East widened.
It is the sticky story of 2026, first kicking off earlier in the year when shipments of oil were blocked at the Strait of Hormuz.
Back then, the state and federal governments jumped into action, promising cuts to petrol taxes and going on a world tour in a bid to shore up Australian gas reserves.
Such relief is not expected to come this time around, even though prices are tipped to go past April 2026 highs.
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This week, photographer Alex Franye was nostalgic for when filling up your tank didn’t cost an arm and a leg.
He dug up this photo of an Ampol petrol bowser in the Adelaide Hills at Wistow.
While the specific bowser has since been sent to the scrap heap and replaced by an upmarket bakery, the photo’s message is eternal.
Frayne said he used a long-exposure shot to capture the gloomy Hills mood at night. The picture is part of his ‘Adelaide Noir’ collection, and appears in his book published by Wakefield Press.
Alex Frayne is a regular contributor to InDaily and wrote a series of essays for the publication in 2025.
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