Arriving in Australia
Every long story starts with a single moment. For Shell in Australia, that moment came in 1901, with the first bulk shipment of kerosene arriving by sea.
Uncover the early years
Uncover the early years
The SS Turbo arrived at Victoria’s Port Phillip carrying the first bulk kerosene cargo to ever reach Australia. Reliable energy was, and continues to be, essential.
Gore Bay Terminal
One of Shell’s first investments in Australia was Gore Bay Terminal. The terminal facilitated the oil pipeline between Greenwich and Western Sydney.
A nation on the move
As energy supply became more reliable, Australia began to move differently. Shell supported the growing need for reliable fuel and navigation across a growing nation.
See how we got Australia got moving
See how we got Australia got moving
Since 2014, Viva Energy has been the exclusive licensee for Shell-branded fuels and now operates more than 1,300 service stations across the country.
Helping motorists find their way
From the 1920s until the late 1970s Shell produced and distributed road maps in Australia, supporting motorists with navigation and touring information.
Australia takes flight
New ways of moving people and goods across Australia’s vast distances began as aviation emerged in the early 20th century.
Learn more about early aviation
Learn more about early aviation
As commercial aviation expanded, reliable fuel supply became critical to maintaining regular flight routes.
Shell played its part by supplying fuel to airfields and regional hubs, helping to sustain emerging air services across Australia.
Powering early flight
Shell fuel powered Australia’s early commercial flights in the 1920s.
Supporting industry
As post-war demand for energy grew, local energy refining became critical to supporting industry and infrastructure.
Discover the role of local refining
Discover the role of local refining
The Clyde refinery in Western Sydney began operations in 1928 and by 1948 was producing enough bitumen to pave all the roads under construction in New South Wales.
Geelong refinery
In 1954 Shell opened the Geelong refinery and built a pipeline linking it to customers in Melbourne, helping meet Victoria’s growing demand for fuel.
LNG era
Over time, Australia’s energy system expanded in scale and complexity. From offshore engineering to large-scale LNG infrastructure, Shell has unlocked new energy supplies and connected Australia to global energy markets.
Pioneering gas in Australia
Pioneering gas in Australia
Shell was a foundation partner in the North West Shelf, which at time was the largest gas infrastructure project in the world.
This marked the beginning of a series of projects built for ambition, scale and innovation.
Energy for today
From early supply to integrated energy systems, Shell’s role in Australia continues to evolve.
Today, we explore, produce and supply gas and LNG. We also market electricity, generate renewables and operate grid-scale batteries.
Get to know Shell Energy
Get to know Shell Energy
Shell Energy is a generation-backed trader and energy retailing business. It’s Australia’s largest dedicated provider of business electricity and a leader in energy innovation.
Keeping the grid humming
Rangebank Battery Energy Storage System in Victoria helps to match renewable generation to demand.
