A hilarious video of Normanton's Top Service Station has gone viral on social media while highlighting a serious issue facing locals.
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While telling his family's 53-year history of the business in a humorous though expletive-ridden way (language warning), Top Servo mechanic Dean Reeves addresses issues his family have faced in Normanton.
Mr Reeves said their isolated location 500km north of Mount Isa had affected applying for loans with the banks.
"The first half of the video is all true. Mum and Dad couldn't get a loan with any banks for improvements because of our location," Mr Reeves said.
"Mum and Dad were going to build a great, big roadhouse with a bigger servo and a bigger shed, but because being from Normanton no one wanted to look at us and we couldn't borrow any money from the banks.
"So dad said f**k the banks, he pulled his super and made the improvements himself."
Mr Reeves said one of the bankers told his father that once he built anything in Normanton it was worthless.
"This was heartbreaking for the family," he said.
"We have heard similar cases of people owning property in Mount Isa and Burketown, who could get a loan in Mount Isa but not in Burketown.
"There are a few houses for sale in Normanton but no one can afford to buy them. Everyone has steady jobs here and they go to the banks to borrow money and they don't even want to look at us, no one wants to help, they think we are some sort of suburb of Brisbane."
With the video reaching over 125,000 views since Thursday May 2, Mr Reeves said he was glad the issue was being raised but he did not expect the video to reach such heights.
"I only expected 20 people to see it. I just created the video as a bit of fun and to make people laugh," he said.
"It started off as a joke between a couple of mates. I sent the video to them on messenger, and one of my mates has posted it on Facebook, all of a sudden it went viral.
"I had one mate send me a message saying the video was in Texas and another in Canada."
In the video Mr Reeves talks about the improvements made at the servo and gives handy advice.
"If it's bendable, its dependable" he said while shaking zip ties.
"The Top Service Station Normanton, supplying lubricant and sarcasm for over 50 years," he said as he signed off.
The North West Star have contacted the major banks for a response.
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Samantha Campbell
Samantha Campbell (nee Walton) has worked for regional and rural publications across New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. She is currently writing for the North Queensland Register based in North West Queensland. Email: samantha.campbell@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Samantha Campbell (nee Walton) has worked for regional and rural publications across New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. She is currently writing for the North Queensland Register based in North West Queensland. Email: samantha.campbell@austcommunitymedia.com.au
