Locals who frequented the business will now have to travel as far as Tomakin, Batehaven or Broulee to refuel or repair their cars.

Owner Bill Tweedie will farewell the final car off his driveway sometime in the first week of April, when he expects the last of his petrol will run out.

“Our landlady, I advised her agent that we’ll be out by the end of the first week in April,” Mr Tweedie said, who has manned the bowsers for 13 years.

“The reason is we’ve been hit with a very substantial rent increase. I’ve been advised by her agent that it’s non-negotiable.”

Mr Tweedie believed his business could not tolerate the rent rise, so he said he had chosen to quietly withdraw from trading.

“The type of rent she wants for here is the type of rent the service stations up around Nowra pay. It’s of that magnitude.”

Mr Tweedie said the service station was the last business left in his complex, after the takeaway next-door closed a few weeks ago.

He doesn’t expect to see the station reopened with new owners.

“I’d be very surprised if anyone opens up. You can’t put the hours into the work and have enough left,” he said.

The closure will mean Mr Tweedie now has the opportunity to travel more and focus on his family and photography, but he does feel for the Malua Bay community.

He believed his station was integral to local life.

“It will most certainly affect the other shops,” Mr Tweedie said.

“Any one shop here in the centre hinges on the other shops. It’ll be a major inconvenience.”