2019 marks the 70^th Anniversary of operations at the Altona Refinery which commenced the production of lubricants and bitumen on 22 July 1949 as part of a joint venture between Vacuum Oil Company (Mobil) and Standard Oil (Exxon).

At an initial construction cost of £1m, it was widely acknowledged as an enormous investment during the post-WW2 period. The Altona refinery was at that time the most modern of its kind in the world. A reputation that was bolstered in 1955 when the refinery undertook a £20m project to extend its product range into motor vehicle fuels and in 1956 produce Australia’s first locally manufactured aviation gasoline.

Today, the Mobil Altona Refinery continues to thrive, employing more than 350 workers and contributing around $270m to the Victorian economy each year. More importantly, Mobil has been a good neighbour to the Altona community by creating jobs, supporting local community groups and investing in Altona through a range of grants and educational initiatives for the young members of Hobsons Bay.

The Altona Refinery has been a part of the Altona landscape for as long as a great number of us can remember, so to Mobil and the Altona Refinery ‘Happy 70^th’.